Who can get Child Winter Heating Payment

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.

If you meet the requirements above on at least one day of this week:	You’ll get Child Winter Heating Payment at the end of this year:
21 to 27 September 2020	2020
20 to 26 September 2021	2021
19 to 25 September 2022	2022
18 to 24 September 2023	2023

This includes if a qualifying benefit is backdated to this period. 

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

You do not need to show receipts or proof of how you spend the money.

If a child or young person gets a qualifying benefit but did not live in Scotland between 18 September and 24 September 2023, 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.

You can apply from abroad at any time. If successful, you can receive a Child Winter Heating payment for each year that you were eligible. 

Payment is usually automatic

Eligible children and young people living in Scotland do not need to apply. They’ll get their payment automatically.

Child Winter Heating Payment will usually be paid into the same bank account as their:

• Child Disability Payment
• Disability Living Allowance for children
• Personal Independence Payment
• Adult Disability Payment 

You'll get a letter from Social Security Scotland before they make the payment. 

If qualifying benefit was not being paid

If the child or young person usually gets one of the qualifying benefits but this was not being paid between 18 September and 24 September 2023, they might still be entitled to Child Winter Heating Payment. It depends on why payments were not being made that week.

If this was because the child or young person was staying in residential care or was in hospital, they can still get Child Winter Heating Payment. They’ll get an automatic payment. 

If the qualifying benefit was not paid for any other reason, you’ll get a letter telling you that the child or young person does not qualify for Child Winter Heating Payment.

The letter will include details of how to ask Social Security Scotland to look at their decision again.

If the child no longer lives in Scotland

If the child or young person lives in an eligible European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland they may be able to get Child Winter Heating Payment. 

They’ll not be eligible for an award if they live in Cyprus, France, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain. This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.

They must have been getting one of the qualifying benefits on at least one day between 19 September and 25 September 2022. 

The child or young person must also have a genuine and sufficient link to Scotland. For example they may be eligible if they, or their parent or guardian, have spent a significant part of their life in Scotland.

How to apply outside of Scotland

Payments are not made automatically to children and young people living outside of Scotland. You can apply by filling in a paper form.

You should send your completed application form to:

Child Winter Heating Payment
PO Box 10317
Dundee 
United Kingdom
DD1 9GR

To apply by phone, you can call Social Security Scotland from outside the UK on +44 (0)1382 931 000. You’ll be charged to call from abroad. You can ask Social Security Scotland to call you back. 

Find out more about benefits if you leave Scotland or travel abroad.