Over 32,000 get help with heating bills

Last winter over 32,140 children and families across South Lanarkshire enjoyed warmer homes after receiving a total of £2,445,500 towards their heating bills from Social Security Scotland.

- STAFF REPORTER

Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who get certain low-income benefits, including households with young children, disabled people 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. Cold Weather Payment is only paid if the average temperature falls or is forecast to fall to freezing or below for a full week.

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 years old and get certain benefits.

A total of 29,250 Winter Heating Payments, worth £1,718,500 were made for 2024/2025, along with 2890 Child Winter Heating Payments, worth £727,000.

The figures, taken from statistics released on April 29, also show 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.