You will be eligible for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment if you live in Scotland and you were born on, or before, September 21, 1959
Thousands of pensioners living in Scotland will soon receive a winter payment worth up to £305.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment has now replaced Winter Fuel Payments for people over state pension age in Scotland.
The one-off payments are worth £101.70, £203.40 or £305.10 and will be issued automatically to at least 880,000 pensioners born on, or before, September 21, 1959.
You will be eligible for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment if you were living in Scotland during at least the last day of the qualifying week.
The qualifying week changes each year, but for winter 2025/26 the qualifying week is September 15, 2025 to September 21, 2025.
The amount you will get in Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will depend on your age, who you live with, and if you claim any benefits.
However, if your income is over £35,000, then HMRC will claim back your Pension Age Winter Heating Payment through the tax system. This will be done by either changing your tax code, or by adding your payment to your self-assessment.
It was possible to opt out of receiving the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, but this option closed on October 10. If you have already chosen to opt out, you will not get the payment in future years unless you opt in again.
You will not be eligible for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment if you were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole qualifying week and the 52 weeks leading up to it, or if you were in custody, under a sentence imposed by a court, for the whole qualifying week.
You will also not be eligible if you need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says you cannot claim public funds.
If you live in residential care, you won’t be eligible if you were in care for the whole qualifying week, you went into care before June 23, 2025, and you claimed any benefits during the qualifying week:
- Pension Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Universal Credit
Payments will go into the same bank account as your state pension, or any benefits you get. Most people will receive their Pension Age Winter Heating Payment from November.
You can identify the payment by the reference code on your bank statement, which will be “PAWHP” and this stands for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
Most people will get the payment automatically, but some will need to apply. You might need to apply for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment if you deferred your State Pension, or you are a couple with a joint benefit claim.
