The Scottish Government announced on 30 September 2026 that an estimated 1.4 million winter heating payments will be made to people across Scotland in winter 2026/27, with payments beginning from October1. The package covers three separate benefits: Winter Heating Payment in Scotland, Child Winter Heating Payment in Scotland and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in Scotland1.
| Payment | Rate for winter 2026/27 | Estimated recipients | Payments begin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Heating Payment | £62.00 | Nearly 487,000 | December |
| Child Winter Heating Payment | £265.50 | Over 48,000 families | Week commencing 5 October |
| Pension Age Winter Heating Payment | £105.55 to £316.70 | Around 879,000 pensioners | November |
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment has replaced Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland1. It is issued to all eligible pensioners but recovered from those with an individual income of over £35,000, with HMRC taking the payment back through the tax system1. The Scottish Fiscal Commission has forecast that around 1.059 million payments will be made in winter 2026-27, with the number of payments recovered estimated at 180,0001. Turn2us states that the amount is slightly higher than the Winter Fuel Payment in the rest of the UK2.
Child Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to families of children and young people under 19 who receive the highest levels of disability support, and the Scottish Government says this type of assistance is not available anywhere else in the UK1. Winter Heating Payment is a guaranteed annual payment for low-income households in receipt of certain benefits, paid irrespective of temperature, unlike the UK Government's Cold Weather Payment, which is only paid if the average temperature reaches or is forecast to reach freezing or below for a full week1. Turn2us gives the 2025/26 rates as £59.75 for Winter Heating Payment and £255.80 for Child Winter Heating Payment, rising to £62.00 and £265.50 in winter 2026/272.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
"Over a million people are set to benefit from the Scottish Government's package of winter heating support, which is stronger than anywhere else in the UK. With energy costs predicted to rise again, this could be a valuable lifeline for older people, families on low incomes, disabled children and young people."
In winter 2025/26, over 1.57 million payments were issued across the three benefits, and more than 1.46 million clients received at least one of them1. For the majority of eligible people, the benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland are paid automatically with no need to apply, though the Scottish Government says a small number of people will need to apply1.
Why it matters for households
The three payments are separate, so a household may qualify for more than one, and the amounts are fixed rather than tied to how cold the winter turns out to be. For pensioner households, the payment is universal in issue but clawed back above £35,000 of individual income, which means the headline rate is not the final position for higher earners. The Scottish Government's own comparison is with the UK Government's Cold Weather Payment, which depends on a week of freezing or near-freezing average temperatures; the Scottish payments arrive regardless. For a home's energy independence, the sums are modest against annual heating costs, but they are guaranteed and, for most recipients, automatic. The Scottish Government has not reported how the payments interact with other grants and schemes, and no figure for average household heating costs appears in the announcement.
What happens next
Child Winter Heating Payment payments start from the week commencing 5 October 20261. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment payments begin from November and continue throughout the winter1. Winter Heating Payment payments begin from December1.