Universal Winter Fuel Payment to be reinstated by SNP Government after Labour cut

The SNP Government will reinstate a Winter Fuel Payment for nearly one million Scots by reversing Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ cut.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville will announce the move at Holyrood today in a bid to outflank the Labour Government.

It is understood all older Scots will be entitled to a payment, but not every recipient will receive the same amount as some pensioners are wealthy.

Reeves’ decision to means-test a payment worth up to £300 will see around 900,000 people in Scots lose out. The decision was branded heartless by critics given that energy bills are rising and voters are braced for a bitter winter.

The Record recently revealed John Swinney’s Government is actively considering reversing the cut and it is expected Somerville will confirm the move in a statement - days ahead of the Scottish Budget on December 4.

Providing some form of sum to all older Scots will allow the SNP Government to argue they are reintroducing a ‘universal’ payment.

The new system, providing different levels of payment, is expected to be fully up and running next year. A separate payment could be introduced this year, when the WFP will still be administered by the DWP and not by the devolved Social Security Scotland.

At an event yesterday, the First Minister confirmed options are being considered but refused to reveal the final decision: “There are possible steps that could be taken within Scotland to ameliorate the difficulties that are faced by pensioners living in a colder climate without winter fuel payments. That will obviously be the subject of a statement to Parliament.”

He added: “What I am certain of is that the Government I lead must be a Government that stands and offers support to those who face challenges in our society, stands alongside those who are able to take forward opportunities, and that’s exactly what will govern and dictate our approach on all the issues that we face.”

SNP Ministers will receive an extra £1.5bn in cash from the UK Government this year and an additional £3.4bn in 2024/25.

Somerville’s announcement will set the scene for the continuation of the angry row between the SNP and Scottish Labour on the WFP. Despite UK Labour pushing through a cut, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said a devolved Government led by him would reverse the Westminster policy.

Under the Sarwar plan, every older person would receive a payment but wealthier pensioners would see some of the cash clawed back. His proposal was seen as trying to steal a march on Swinney ahead of his own announcement.

Sarwar said at the time: “A Scottish Labour government will reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners in Scotland. The Winter Fuel Payment was supposed to be a devolved benefit this year and there were additional resources available to the Scottish Government through the Household Support Fund.

“That meant we could have taken a different approach in Scotland to support more households this year - instead, the SNP decided to hand the power back to the DWP. For months I have said that the eligibility criterion of pension credit is too low and called for a Scottish solution to this issue. That’s why Scottish Labour will take back this devolved power from the DWP, reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment, and deliver a fairer system to ensure that everyone who needs support gets it.”

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Alba Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP said: “Westminster's recent budget again proves that the Exchequer continues to exploit Scotland's energy wealth while overlooking our communities and businesses, regardless of the party in power. I have offered the government reasonable and innovative solutions to focus on protecting Scotland's vulnerable pensioners this winter. Over two thirds of Scots think the Scottish Government was wrong to mirror the Westminster Winter Fuel Payment Cut and that universal entitlement should continue in Scotland."

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