Winter heating payment admin blunder means 37k Scots miss out on support

An administrative error has meant nearly 40,000 eligible Scots have missed out on the newly devolved winter heating payment.

The error made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) meant 37,000 people north of the Border did not receive the payment for last winter, The Times has reported.

The grant, which is the devolved version of the cold weather payment, is received by eligible households to help pay for heating costs over the coldest months.

But Social Security Scotland reportedly noticed an issue “with a number of seemingly eligible clients”. The DWP was subsequently asked to investigate, with confirmation made this month that thousands of Scots had missed out.

About 37,000 pensioners did not receive a winter health payment last year. Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images | Getty Images

The oversight was reportedly only found after “urgent number crunching”, but is believed to have embarrassed Scottish Government officials, coming at around the same time the decision was taken to mirror the UK government by means testing winter fuel payments.

The annual tax-free payment for the missed benefit is £58.75 for eligible Scots.

A letter from Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: "[A total of] 37,000 clients have been included in the data file supplied by DWP and were likely to be eligible for payment.

"Social Security Scotland will write to them detailing their entitlement and confirm the payment relates to the 2023 qualifying week and 2023-2024 Winter Heating Payment. These letters and emails will be sent week commencing Monday, September 30 and payment will start being made to them on Wednesday, October 9."

SNP MSP Kevin Stewart told The Times: “Labour’s political decision to cut the universal winter fuel payment is utterly cruel, but these new revelations confirm it has also been poorly planned and rushed through.”

Scottish Tories social security, housing and equalities spokesman Miles Briggs said: “The SNP and Labour need to come clean about what is ultimately going to happen in coming months.”

A Social Security Scotland spokesman said the problem had “now been rectified for future years”.

The blunder comes after the UK and Scottish governments announced they would limit winter fuel payments this year to all but the poorest pensioners. The decision could mean about ten million pensioners in England and Wales and about 900,000 in Scotland will lose support they were previously entitled to.

The Scottish Government said it had no choice but to cut the benefit after it lost up to £160 million in funding from Westminster.

It also comes as the Scottish Government has been urged to reverse its decision to scrap the fuel insecurity fund.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar issued a plea for ministers to work with his party to help those most at risk this winter.

Mr Sarwar said the UK government’s decision to extend the household support fund south of the Border is expected to deliver around £41 million in extra money for Holyrood – enough to pay for thefuelinsecurity fund to be reinstated.

The fund, which has been allocated no money in this year’s budget, was used to support the most vulnerable households over thewinterand cost £30 million last year.

Scottish Labour said reinstating it could see 200,000 low-income pensioner households receive an additional £200 during the colder months, amounting to a third of all pensioner households receiving support from the government.

On Monday, Scottish Labour said it wanted to work with ministers to introduce a package of support for struggling families thiswinter.

They include proposals to deliver payments to low-income pensioners not in receipt of Pension Credit, one of the criteria for receiving thewinterfuelpayment; delivering targeted grants and energy vouchers to those most in need; and a campaign to encourage the uptake of Pension Credit.

Charities have expressed fears that not enough pensioners are aware they are entitled to the benefit and could lose their winter fuel payment as a result.

The Scottish Labour leader criticised the Scottish Government’s decision to axe the payment but said he would work together with ministers to offer support to pensioners.

Mr Sarwar said: “The months ahead will be difficult for many people across the country – that’s why Scottish Labour stands ready to propose a package of measures to support Scots over thewinter.

“Labour is providing funding to support those most at risk and we need to make sure this money gets to those who need it.

“Under our plans, low-income pensioners currently ineligible for Pension Credit could receive support and the SNP’s axing of thewinterinsecurity fund could be reversed.

“Instead of focusing on what it can’t do rather than what it can do, the Scottish Government could work with Scottish Labour to make sure this package is delivered to support Scots.

“Scottish Labour is ready to work with the Scottish Government to deliver on these options and offer a lifeline to thousands of Scots.”

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.