Opt out or cancel your award

If you do not want to receive Pension Age Winter Heating Payment you can choose to opt out or cancel your award.

When you opt out, you'll not get the payment in future years unless you contact us and opt in again.

If you opt out after a decision has been made on your award, you'll still get a payment for the current winter period. You can choose to cancel your award and return the payment instead. 

How to opt out

You can opt out of Pension Age Winter Heating Payment by calling Social Security Scotland.

How to cancel your award

If you’re unable to opt out before a decision is made on your award, you can cancel your award instead. 

Contact Social Security Scotland and tell them you want to cancel your award. They’ll explain how you can return the payment.

Your award will only be cancelled if you tell us you want to cancel and you return the full payment.

If you opted out before

You will not get the payment if you’ve previously opted out of Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.

If you want to opt in again

You can opt in for the current winter period until 31 March.

If you opt in after 31 March and want to get payment for the previous winter period, Social Security Scotland will consider your reason for the late request. If this cannot be accepted, you’ll get the payment in future years if you’re eligible.

To opt in again, contact Social Security Scotland by phone. You should do this even if you opted out through the DWP.

Find out what to do if you need help from Social Security Scotland.