Pension Age Winter Heating Payment to become universal from winter 2025/2026

The Scottish Government published a policy note on 16 June 2025 accompanying the Winter Heating Assistance (Pension Age) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025, which introduce universal eligibility for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) from winter 2025/2026 onwards¹. The instrument is subject to affirmative procedure in the Scottish Parliament and is made under sections 30(2), 41(4)(a), 43(5), 52 and 95 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018¹. From winter 2025/2026, PAWHP will be delivered by Social Security Scotland as a universal payment for all pensioner households; in winter 2024/25 it was delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions under an agency agreement with the Scottish Government¹.

Eligibility is linked to age and circumstances during the qualifying week, the third full week in September, when a person must be of state pension age¹. Those in receipt of relevant benefits continue to receive a higher rate. The relevant benefits listed are Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support and Universal Credit¹. The regulations exclude entitlement for those in receipt of relevant benefits throughout the qualifying week who have been in a care home or independent hospital throughout that week and the 12 weeks immediately preceding it¹.

Payment amounts from winter 2025/2026 are set out as follows¹:

For those in receipt of relevant benefits, a single payment is made to an individual or a benefit household, meaning a couple in receipt of a joint claim or individuals in a polygamous marriage; the rate depends on the age of the individual or the oldest individual in the joint claim¹. The £100 universal payment applies to every other pensioner household not in receipt of relevant benefits, and where a person lives with other entitled individuals it is given as an individual shared rate payment of £50, including for those in a care home or independent hospital for the entirety of the qualifying week and the 12 weeks prior¹.

The policy note states that the introduction of universal eligibility is forecast to provide support to 812,000 households in 2025/26, an investment of £101 million, compared with the 137,000 forecast to receive the payment under the current restricted eligibility in winter 2024/25¹. It also cites Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts of spending on PAWHP of £98 million in 2025-26 and £113 million in 2030-31¹. The existing PAWHP Regulations included EEA residency conditions which expired on 1 April 2025¹. The note says universal PAWHP will retain an aspect of means testing so that those in receipt of relevant benefits receive a higher rate, and that the Scottish Government considers the benefit should be classified as an old-age benefit under EC Regulation 883/2004, with exportability applying only to those who retained protections after EU exit under international agreements¹. References to tax credits are to be removed separately by the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025, due to come into force on 23 June 2025¹.

Why it matters for households

Pensioner households in Scotland will no longer need to be in receipt of a listed benefit to receive a winter heating payment from winter 2025/2026. Households on Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support or Universal Credit keep the higher rates of £203.40 for those aged 66 to 79 and £305.10 for those aged 80 and over, based on the individual or the oldest person in a joint claim¹. Pensioner households not on those benefits receive £100, or £50 each where they live with other entitled individuals¹. Entitlement depends on circumstances in the qualifying week, the third full week in September, so a move out of Scotland before the end of that week means the residency condition is not met, which the note says prevents eligibility for both PAWHP and the Winter Fuel Payment in the event of a cross-border move during the qualifying week¹. The Winter Fuel Payment remains a separate DWP payment with its own income threshold, and the Pension Age, Child and Winter Heating Payments in Scotland guide covers how the Scottish payments fit together. Households receiving Pension Credit or Universal Credit fall within the relevant benefits list for the higher rate¹.

What happens next

The regulations are subject to affirmative procedure¹. The application window allows people to apply for assistance until 31 March following the qualifying week, and the note says retrospective applications beyond that date are not intended to be allowed unless there is good reason¹. Clients can opt out at any time, with opt-outs taking effect for subsequent winters, and can opt back in up to 31 March for the immediately preceding winter, or later with good reason¹. The regulations provide 42 calendar days for a client to request a re-determination, compared with 31 days under the current PAWHP regulations, and 56 days for a decision on a re-determination request to be made¹.