People on PIP or ADP could be due extra £251 this month to help with winter energy bills

Social Security Scotland recently confirmed that thousands of disabled children and young people will receive a one-off payment this winter to help cover the costs of higher heating bills over the colder months. The Child Winter Heating Payment is worth £251.50 this winter, an increase of £15.80 on the £235.70 payment issued to an estimated 29,000 families last year.

The devolved payment is designed to help families with disabled youngsters under the age of 19 with higher costs during the colder months. Last year’s payments started landing in bank accounts in November and several members of the Daily Record Money Saving Scotland Facebook group have confirmed payments are now landing in bank accounts.

READ MORE: £58 heating payment due next month to help people with winter energy bills

READ MORE: Full list of monthly benefits and one-off payments only people living in Scotland can claim

The £251.50 lump sum is automatically paid to families of children and young people up to the age of 19 who already get certain levels of qualifying disability benefits. These include the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment or Disability Living Allowance for Children.

The lump sum is also paid to those receiving the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP).

To be eligible for the payment, individual’s need to have been in claim for one of the benefits mentioned above during the qualifying week, which was September 16 to September 22, 2024.

Other key points about the payment:

• The £251.50 payment is per child or young person - not per household

• If there is more than one child or young person who qualifies in the household, they each get a payment

• If someone is awarded a backdated payment for one of the qualifying benefits which falls within the eligibility week in September, they will also receive the payment

• The money is paid into the same account where the qualifying benefit is paid into

Nobody on a qualifying benefit needs to apply separately to get the payment, however, in certain circumstances some people may need to apply - find out more about this here.

Social Security Scotland administers and delivers the payments. Eligible families will receive a letter to confirm their entitlement and payment date - just be aware this letter may arrive after the payment.

Eligibility for the winter 2024/25 payment

Children and young people in Scotland can get the heating payment if they are under 19-years-old and were claiming one of the qualifying benefits during the qualifying week of 16-22 September, 2024.

Qualifying benefits for Child Winter Heating Payment

Young people under 19 getting one of the following benefits for at least one day during the September qualifying week will receive the £251.50 payment.

Qualifying benefits:

• Child Disability Payment - highest rate of the care component

• Disability Living Allowance for children - highest rate of the care component

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - enhanced daily living component

• Adult Disability Payment - enhanced rate of the daily living component

Scottish Government guidance also clarifies people do not not need to show receipts or proof of how they spent the money.

If a child or young person gets a qualifying benefit but does not live in Scotland between September 16 and September 22, 2024, they might still qualify if they:

• live in certain European Economic Area (EEA) countries or Switzerland

• can show they have a genuine and sufficient link to Scotland

Find out what to do if the child no longer lives in Scotland here.

When will payments be made?

Social Security Scotland delivers the benefit and has confirmed that payments started landing in bank accounts in late October.

How do I apply?

Payments will be made to most people automatically, so there’s no need to apply. It will be made to the same account where people receive their DLA for Children, Child Disability Payment, PIP or Adult Disability Payment.

For more information, contact Social Security Scotland through web chat on the website here or call the freephone helpline on 0800 182 2222 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.