State pensioners living in certain areas in the UK can benefit from the Winter Heating Payment, a lesser-known scheme aimed at helping with heating costs during the colder months.
State Pensioners Set to Get £58 Following Loss of Winter Fuel Payment
By Lydia Amazouz
Published on 19 September 2024 21:09
State pensioners living in a certain part of the UK may still be able to receive nearly £60 this winter, even if they no longer qualify for the £300 Winter Fuel Payment.
State Pensioners in Scotland Can Benefit from the Winter Heating Payment This Winter
A lesser-known and often underclaimed benefit, the Winter Heating Payment, is available to eligible households in Scotland this winter, according to Express.
This payment aims to help with heating costs during the colder months and is automatically issued to those who qualify. It doesn't require any application, as the payment will be sent directly to eligible households between December and February. Unlike the Winter Fuel Payment, this benefit is specifically for Scottish residents and offers much-needed relief for those struggling with energy bills during the winter season.
In contrast to Cold Weather Payments, which depend on specific temperature thresholds, the Winter Heating Payment is guaranteed to be issued to eligible households regardless of how cold it gets.
Winter Heating Payment to Support Eligible Households
To qualify for this assistance, households must be receiving the correct benefits by November 4 this year. The government said: “The next qualifying week is 4 November to 10 November 2024. Your data tells Social Security Scotland if got one or more of the qualifying benefits at some point during this week.”
Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support or Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance, and mortgage interest support are all among the qualifying benefits.
The government went on to say, "You will automatically receive the single payment between December and February." This is independent of the degree of cold.
“You'll get a letter or an email from Social Security Scotland telling you it's coming. It appears as 'WHP' on your bank statement, WHP stands for Winter Heating Payment.
“Winter Heating Payment will be paid from December 2024 and will be £58.75.”
Cold Weather Payments are also available in England, automatically providing financial assistance to pensioners if the temperature in an area falls below a specific threshold for a specific period.