Keith Brown MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Clackmannanshire & Dunblane constituency, has welcomed plans by the Scottish Government for the introduction of a Pension Age Winter Heating Payment which, from winter 2024, will be an annual payment replacing the UK government’s Winter FuelPayment in Scotland.

The Scottish Government are carrying out a consultation process to best understand who should be eligible for this payment, when and how it should be delivered, and what measures can be put in place to support those living off the gas grid. The consultation is open now and closes on January 15^th2024.

Keith is encouraging constituents in Clackmannanshire & Dunblane to complete the consultation to ensure the payment is as effective as possible in helping local pensioners with their winter heating costs, saying:

“This new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment to be delivered by the SNP Government will help over a million pensioners in Scotland with their heating costs, including thousands here in my constituency of Clackmannanshire & Dunblane.

“The SNP Government is committed to helping the most vulnerable through the difficult winter period – but it is vital people make their views known of how this payment can best be delivered.

“The Scottish Government’s track record with taking over the delivery of benefits is a good one.  Since setting up a devolved social security system which has been designed to have compassion, fairness, and respect at its core, 13 benefits, of which 7 are unique to Scotland, have been established. 

“When the Scottish Government takes over delivery of a benefit, people report an improvement in the service they receive.  

“Social Security Scotland’s most recent Client Survey showed that nearly nine out of ten respondents believed that they had been treated with dignity, fairness and respect (89%), with 94% agreeing that they had been treated with kindness.

“This consultation process is about ensuring that continues with the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.

“Social Security Scotland is set to deliver£5.3 billion in devolved benefits in 2023-24 alone, supporting over 1.2 million peopleas the SNP continues to deliver every day for the people of Scotland.”