Most Child Winter Heating Payments in Scotland are being made automatically from early October 2025, according to the independent charity Turn2us, whose guidance was last reviewed on 21 October 20251. The payment is administered by Social Security Scotland and applies to Scotland only1.
The payment is £255.80 in winter 2025/26, rising to £265.50 in winter 2026/271. Turn2us describes it as a one-off, tax-free payment during the winter to help disabled children and young people and their families with heating costs1. It was previously called the Child Winter Heating Assistance1.
"A Child Winter Heating Payment is a one-off, tax-free payment during the winter to help disabled children and young people and their families with heating costs."
Turn2us classifies the payment as a means-tested benefit, meaning eligibility depends on the amount of income and capital a household has, and states that it is not taxable1.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nation | Scotland1 |
| Administered by | Social Security Scotland1 |
| Winter 2025/26 rate | £255.801 |
| Winter 2026/27 rate | £265.501 |
| Taxable | No1 |
| Type of benefit | Means-tested1 |
| Payment timing | Most payments made automatically from early October 20251 |
Why it matters for households
For families with a disabled child or young person in Scotland, the payment is a fixed cash sum paid once over the winter rather than a credit applied to a bill, so it can be put towards whatever form of heating the home uses. At £255.80 for winter 2025/26, it is a defined contribution towards winter running costs, and the published rate for the following winter shows the amount is uprated annually rather than fixed.
Because it is paid automatically to most recipients, the practical effect for those households is that no claim is needed to receive it. The means-tested basis means eligibility turns on income and capital, so the payment sits alongside other support rather than replacing it. It is separate from the wider Scottish winter payments, including the Winter Heating Payment in Scotland and the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in Scotland, and from the UK-wide Winter Fuel Payment, which has its own eligibility rules. How these compare with the Warm Home Discount depends on the household.
What happens next
Turn2us states that most payments will be made automatically from early October 20251. The rate is set to rise to £265.50 in winter 2026/271. No further dates for the 2026/27 payment window have been reported.
Sources2 cited
- What is a Child Winter Heating Payment? | Turn2us, turn2us.org.uk
- What is a Child Winter Heating Payment? | Turn2us, turn2us.org.uk