Highland households received £1.3m in winter heating support in 2024/25, ‘helping 18,000 Highland adults and children stay warmer’, says Social Security Scotland
Almost 18,000 Highland children and adults had warmer homes over winter after receiving £1.3 million in heating payment help, new figures reveal.
In total, 17,745 people got payments for winter 2024/2025 from Social Security Scotland.
The “Winter Heating Payment” is paid automatically to people who get certain low-income support, including households with young children, disabled or older people. It has replaced the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Cold Weather Payment in Scotland.
It is a guaranteed payment that everyone who is eligible receives, no matter what the weather. The Cold Weather Payment is only paid if the average temperature falls - or is forecast to fall - to freezing or below for a full week.
A total of 16,410 Winter Heating Payments, worth £964,000 were made for 2024/2025, along with 1,335 Child Winter Heating Payments, worth £336,000.
The Child Winter Heating Payment was introduced by the Scottish Government in November 2020 and is only available in Scotland. It is paid once a year to children and young people if they are under 19 and get certain support.
The figures, taken from statistics released this week, also showed that 95 per cent of Winter Heating Payments were made by December 2024 and 93 per cent of Child Winter Heating Payments were made by October 2024.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We have issued over 505,100 payments to families on low incomes, and those supporting children or young people with a disability, to help with the cost of heating their homes.
“Many people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and higher energy bills. The importance of these payments was brought home to everyone this month with the Energy Price Cap rising by 6.4 per cent. Ofgem estimates that this will add £9.25 a month to the typical household’s energy bill.
“This year we will also be providing extra support to pensioners. While the DWP’s Winter Fuel Payment will only be available to some pensioners, Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide money to every pensioner household in the country.
“The Scottish Government will continue to protect pensioners and people on low incomes in Scotland.”
