Help with the Cost of Living
Help with energy bills
Winter Heating Payment
Some people in Scotland get a single payment during winter called Winter Heating Payment. Winter Heating Payment will be paid from December 2024 and will be £58.75.
You'll automatically get the single payment between December and February if you are recieving an eligible benefit. The qualifying week for this payment is 4th - 10th November 2024. The payment is not dependent on how cold it is. Find out more information on Winter Heating Payment and the qualifying benefits.
Child Winter Heating Payment
Child Winter Heating Payment is a payment to help disabled children and young people and their families with increased heating costs over winter. It’s paid once a year. The payment for winter 2024-2025 is £251.50.
Children and young people in Scotland can get the assistance if they're under 19 years old and get one of the following 'qualifying benefits':
- the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
- the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children
- the enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
- the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
They must be getting this on at least one day in the third full week of September. In 2024 this will be Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (paid by DWP, equivalent to Winter Fuel Payment)
The Department for Work and Pensions will make Pension Age Winter Heating Payments, which are equivalent to Winter Fuel Payments, on behalf of the Scottish Government, to eligible older people in Scotland this year. The vaue of this payment is £200-300. The qualifying week for this payment is 16th - 22 September 2024.
To be eligible, older people need to be getting qualifying benefits, including Pension Credit.
The DWP is therefore urging pensioners to check their eligibility for Pension Credit in order to secure their payment this winter. Despite the qualifying week having passed, older people can still apply for Pension Credit and ask for it to be backdated by up to three months. So, if they apply by 21 December and have met the eligibility criteria for Pension Credit during the qualifying week, they will still qualify.
If you need assistance in applying for Pension Credit, contact the Welfare Support Team who can provide free, confidential support and advice. Their phone number is 0800 090 1004 or email welfare.support@highland.gov.uk
The Warm Home Discount Scheme
You could get £150 off your electricity bill for winter 2024 to 2025 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
The money is not paid to you - it’s a one-off discount on your electricity bill, between October 2024 and March 2025.
Further information on the warm home discount
Energy Supplier grants
Major energy suppliers provide grants to households experiencing financial difficulties. For example, EDF, E.on Next and Scottish Power are among those offering support to their own customers, while British Gas's hardship scheme is available to customers of other suppliers too.
Most of the help offered is in the form of a non-repayable grant that goes towards reducing energy debts. This could be vital for struggling households, there are not standardised schemes offered across the sector, so whether your supplier offers support, who qualifies, and how much you'll get varies.
Further information: Contact your supplier to check if you are eligible.
Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme
The Scottish Government has awarded funding to help us deliver energy efficiency programmes in the Highlands as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS).
The area based programmes aim to:
- target fuel-poor areas
- offer insulation measures (Cavity Wall and Loft Insulation)
- heat your property through an Air Source Heat Pump
- offer solar PV and battery storage
Funding is available from the Scottish Government for the installation of measures.
- Scottish Government Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS) grant – is based on property eligibility criteria
Air Source Heat Pump, Cavity Wall, Loft Insulation, Solar PV and Battery Storage
These measures are eligible for:
- Scottish Government EES:ABS grant
An owner's contribution may be required to cover the remainder of the cost for installation.
Scottish Southern and Electricity Networks (SSEN) Assistance
As part of SSEN's support package, customers who will be without power for more than 12 hours are entitled to £30 per person for every day without power, to cover the cost of food and drink. People should keep hold of their receipts and claim costs on the SSEN website.
Customers on SSEN Priority Service Register can claim reasonable costs for alternative accommodation if it is expected they will be without power for over 24 hours. Support with booking accommodation can be provided if needed. More information and details on how to sign up for priority services can be found at Priority services - SSEN