From Monday, October 5, around 4,200 disabled children and young people in Scotland will receive an automatic one-off Child Winter Heating Payment of £265.50. The payment, which is unique to Scotland, has been increased from £255.80 for the 2026/27 financial year.
The payment is made by Social Security Scotland, the country's devolved welfare agency, rather than the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It is designed to help families with increased heating costs over the winter months and is paid once a year from October onwards.
Who qualifies for the payment
To be eligible, a child or young person must be under 19 years old and receive one of the following benefits at the required rate:
- The highest rate care component of Child Disability Payment
- The highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children
- The enhanced rate daily living component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
- The enhanced rate daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Applicants must be entitled to one of these qualifying benefits on at least one day during the qualifying week, which runs from Monday, September 21 to Tuesday, September 29.
Payment details and background
Social Security Scotland confirmed the payment details to Birmingham Live, stating: "Child Winter Heating Payment used to be called Child Winter Heating Assistance. Child Winter Heating Payment is a benefit from the Scottish Government. It was first paid in 2020. It’s a payment to help disabled children and young people and their families with increased heating costs over winter. It’s paid once a year from October and through the winter. This does not depend on how cold it is. The current payment is £265.50."
The payment is automatic, meaning eligible families do not need to apply. It is made regardless of the outside temperature, as it is a fixed annual sum.
Contacting the DWP for benefit queries
For questions about Disability Living Allowance for children or Personal Independence Payment, families should contact the Department for Work and Pensions. They will need to inform the DWP if any personal details change, or if the child or young person's circumstances change. This ensures that benefit records remain accurate and payments continue correctly.
