The Scottish Government has shared a new update for more than 415,000 people on a low income who are due to receive a one-off payment for £50 to help with heating bills this winter. The new Winter Heating Payment will be administered by Social Security Scotland and replaces the £25 Cold Weather Payment delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Payments were originally expected to land in bank accounts this month, but in an update last week the Scottish Government said these will now be made over February and March. Updated guidance on MyGov.Scot now advises that eligible individual's will now receive a letter from Social Security Scotland before the payment is made.
The payment will appear in bank accounts and statements with the reference code 'WHP'. If you are currently eligible for the Cold Weather Payment from DWP and your circumstances have not changed, you should be eligible for a Winter Heating payment, however, there is a qualifying period for the new payment which many people may not be aware of.
