The new, 'fairer' winter fuel payment promised for Scotland - and when it would start under Labour plans

Scottish Labour has pledged to “reinstate” the winter fuel payment for pensioners if it wins the next Holyrood election.

Party leader Anas Sarwar said he would partly reverse a cut imposed by his own UK Labour government and “deliver a fairer system” in Scotland.

This would see all pensioners receive the payment, but it would be tapered so that the wealthiest households received less.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer attracted criticism from across the political spectrum in the summer after announcing the benefit would only be available to those in receipt of pension credit or other benefits, just weeks after taking office.

A letter this week looks at the cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance for some pensioners.

This led the Scottish Government to confirm it would also means-test its devolved equivalent of the payment, which has been delayed.

Scottish Labour appeared uncomfortable with the position of the UK government, with leader Anas Sarwar saying the threshold was too low.

On Tuesday, the party announced it would create a devolved payment if it wins the keys to Bute House in 2026, but would make it a “fairer system”.

Mr Sarwar said: “A Scottish Labour government will reinstate the winter fuel payment for pensioners in Scotland. The winter fuel payment was supposed to be a devolved benefit this year and there were additional resources available to the Scottish Government through the household support fund.

“That meant we could have taken a different approach in Scotland to support more households this year – instead, the SNP decided to hand the power back to the DWP [Department for Work and Pensions].

“For months I have said that the eligibility criterion of pension credit is too low and called for a Scottish solution to this issue.

“That’s why Scottish Labour will take back this devolved power from the DWP, reinstate the winter fuel payment, and deliver a fairer system to ensure that everyone who needs support gets it.

“A UK Labour government is clearing up the mess left by a chaotic Tory government – here in Scotland, people are demanding a new direction and in 2026 we have the opportunity to deliver it with a Scottish Labour government.”

A UK government Cabinet minister said Scottish Labour had “made their choice” and it was part of devolution that there would be differences across the union.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “I’m a big supporter of devolution. Devolution means different countries in the UK can do things differently. So Scottish Labour have made their choice – if they win the election in Scotland, that’s what they’ll do.”

But Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville accused Labour of “remarkable Orwellian double-think”.

“Having just cut the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners across the UK, they now expect people to believe that they are in fact on the side of pensioners,” she said.

“Anas Sarwar sat on his hands while his Westminster colleagues forced through this cut, and he must explain why Labour failed to back the reintroduction of the winter fuel payment just a few weeks ago in the Scottish Parliament.

“The people of Scotland will see right through the fact that Scottish Labour’s ambition for Scotland is to simply mitigate decisions made by a Westminster Labour government – by contrast, the SNP will always put Scotland first.”

It comes after former SNP MP Joanna Cherry KC joined a court case seeking to overturn the UK government’s cut to the winter fuel payment.

Peter and Florence Fanning, of Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, speaking at a press conference in Edinburgh. Picture: Craig Paton/PA Wire | PA

Ms Cherry, who lost her seat in July’s election, returned to legal practice earlier this month and will act as senior counsel in the action brought by Peter and Florence Fanning.

The Coatbridge pensioners are seeking to reverse the decision announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves earlier this year to remove the universality of the payment.

The action is aided by the Govan Law Centre, with the group’s Mike Dailly acting as junior counsel. Former first minister Alex Salmond, who died earlier this month and was buried on Tuesday, also played a part in bringing the action.