Pension Age Winter Heating Payments will be issued to 800,000 older people in Scotland.

09:52, 08 Sep 2025Updated 05:02, 09 Sep 2025

The Scottish Government has confirmed at least 880,000 pensioners will receive a Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) to help with the costs of heating their home during the colder months. From November, eligible people of State Pension age will get a payment between £101.70 and £305.10 depending on their age and household living arrangements.

For pensioners with a taxable income of over £35,000, the payment will be taken back through the Self Assessment tax system during 2026/27. However, people can choose to opt out of receiving the payment by completing the online form on the MyGov website by October 10, 2025.

An eligibility checker has also been created to help people find out how much they are likely to receive.

READ MORE: Heating payment of £59 to help people with winter energy bills due before end of yearREAD MORE: DWP Winter Fuel Payment letters due for nine million pensioners next month

Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “At least 880,000 pensioners in Scotland are estimated to benefit from the payment. And with the recent announcement on increasing energy costs, this could be a valuable lifeline for older people in Scotland.

“We are committed to treating people with the dignity, fairness and respect they deserve. Our approach supports those most in need. The Scottish Government will continue to ensure older people get the financial help they need, this winter or any winter.

“It is also important to highlight that most people don’t need to do anything – they will automatically receive the payment if eligible.”

Payment rates

A full breakdown of payments for single pensioners and married couples of the same or mixed ages, can be found on MYGOV.SCOT, but as a general guide:

£101.70 – pensioners living in residential care£2003.40 – single pensioners born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959£305.10 -single pensioners born before September 22, 1945

A small number of people will need to apply and must do so before the deadline on March 31, 2026.

These include people who have deferred their State Pension or are a couple with a joint award for Pension Credit, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support or Universal Credit and the main person getting that benefit is under State Pension age.

Payments will go into the same bank account as your State Pension, or any Social Security Scotland benefits you get with the reference ‘PAWHP’. You can check whether you need to apply on the MYGOV website.

Eligibility for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment

Social Security Scotland will look at your situation during the qualifying week of Monday September 15 to Sunday September 21, 2025.

To be eligible, you must have:

been born on, or before, September 21, 1959lived in Scotland on at least the last day of the qualifying week

You will not be eligible if you:

were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole qualifying week and the 52 weeks leading up to itwere in custody, under a sentence imposed by a court, for the whole qualifying weekneed permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says you cannot claim public fundsIf you live in residential care

Residential care means a care home or a hospital that is not part of the NHS.

You will be eligible if:

You were born on, or before, September 21, 1959live in Scotland

You will not be eligible if all of the following apply:

you were in residential care for the whole qualifying week (September 15-21)you went into care before June 23, 2025you got any of these benefits during the qualifying week – Pension Credit, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support or Universal CreditUsing the online payment checker

You can use the online checker at MYGOV.SCOT to find out how much you will be paid, this depends on:

your agethe age of anyone you live with who is also eligibleif you live in residential careif you get certain other benefits and whether you get them as a joint award with your partnerOpting out

As already mentioned, you must opt out before October 10 by completing an opt out form on MYGOV.SCOT.

If you choose to opt out, you will not get the payment in future years unless you opt in again, which you can do by calling Social Security Scotland.

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