Pension Age Winter Heating Payment Consultation
The consultation will close in January 2024.
The Scottish Government is consulting on the introduction of a new Scottish benefit to replace the UK Government’s Winter Fuel Payment scheme from winter 2024.
Proposals for a new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) are being considered by the Scottish Government, aimed at replacing the UK’s Government Winter Fuel Payment scheme. While the intention is to introduce the PAWHP as a like-for-like replacement to the Winter Fuel Payment, the consultation asks for views on how the design and delivery of the benefit can be improved.
It’s proposed that the new PAWHP should have the same eligibility criteria as the Winter Fuel Payment (payable to those who have reached state pension age), and that it should continue to be non-means tested and tax free, so that older people in Scotland receive continuity of support in heating their homes during the winter.
The consultation asks for views on how the PAWHP benefit could be improved for off-gas and rural consumers, including on whether payments should be made earlier in the year to reflect that fuel costs often rise as temperatures drop and demand increases. Questions also focus on whether payment values should continue at the same level, which would typically be £200 for a household where the oldest person is under the age of 80, and £300 for households with a person over the age of 80.
Further details about the consultation can be found online at: Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP): consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) The consultation will close in January 2024.
If you have any questions, or would like to feed into the SFHA response, please contact eharji@sfha.co.uk