For pensioners with a taxable income of over \u00a335,000, 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<\/a> by October 10, 2025.<\/p>\n An eligibility checker <\/a>has also been created to help people find out how much they are likely to receive.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Heating payment of \u00a359 to help people with winter energy bills due before end of year<\/a>READ MORE: DWP Winter Fuel Payment letters due for nine million pensioners next month<\/a><\/p>\n Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: \u201cAt 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is also important to highlight that most people don\u2019t need to do anything – they will automatically receive the payment if eligible.\u201d<\/p>\n Payment rates<\/p>\n A full breakdown of payments for single pensioners and married couples of the same or mixed ages, can be found on MYGOV.SCOT<\/a>, but as a general guide:<\/p>\n \u00a3101.70 – pensioners living in residential care\u00a32003.40 – single pensioners born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959\u00a3305.10 -single pensioners born before September 22, 1945<\/p>\n A small number of people will need to apply and must do so before the deadline on March 31, 2026.<\/p>\n These include people who have deferred their State Pension or are a couple with a joint award for Pension Credit, Income-based Jobseeker\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Payments will go into the same bank account as your State Pension, or any Social Security Scotland benefits you get with the reference \u2018PAWHP\u2019. You can check whether you need to apply on the MYGOV website.<\/a><\/p>\n Eligibility for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment<\/p>\n Social Security Scotland will look at your situation during the qualifying week of Monday September 15 to Sunday September 21, 2025.<\/p>\n To be eligible, you must have:<\/p>\n been born on, or before, September 21, 1959lived in Scotland on at least the last day of the qualifying week<\/p>\n You will not be eligible if you:<\/p>\n 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<\/p>\n Residential care means a care home or a hospital that is not part of the NHS.<\/p>\n You will be eligible if:<\/p>\n You were born on, or before, September 21, 1959live in Scotland<\/p>\n You will not be eligible if all of the following apply:<\/p>\n 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\u2019s Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support or Universal CreditUsing the online payment checker<\/p>\n You can use the online checker at MYGOV.SCOT<\/a> to find out how much you will be paid, this depends on:<\/p>\n 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<\/p>\n As already mentioned, you must opt out before October 10 by completing an opt out form on MYGOV.SCOT<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Join the conversation on our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group<\/a> for money-saving tips, the latest State Pension and benefits news, energy bill advice and cost of living updates.<\/p>\n Sign up to our Record Money newsletter and get the top stories sent to your inbox daily from Monday to Friday with a special cost of living edition every Thursday – sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can also follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @Recordmoney_<\/a> for regular updates throughout the day or get money news alerts on your phone by joining our Daily Record Money WhatsApp community<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_DR-MOney.png\")
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