Pension Age Winter Heating Payments still to be paid 2025-2026: FOI release

FOI Reference: FOI/202600500685
Date received: 7 January 2026
Date responded: 4 February 2026

Information requested

Request for information 1:

The number of Pension Age Winter Heating Payments for the financial year 2025-26 that have yet to be paid as of 6 January 2025.

Response

Request for information 1:

We have interpreted your question as the number of Pension Age Winter Heating Payments (PAWHP) for the financial year 2025-26 that have yet to be paid as of 6 January 2026.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested. As of the 6 January 2026, the application process for Pension Age Winter Heating Payments was still open, with clients being able to submit new applications up to the deadline of 31 March 2026.

While the number of applications received by 6 January 2026 is known, the total number that will be submitted by the deadline remains uncertain. Consequently, the figure for payments still outstanding is subject to change.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested.

The forecasted number of payments for Pension Age Winter Heating Payments for the financial year 2025-2026 is 1.053 million. This is published within the Scottish Fiscal Commission Update, table 5.2.

We have published details of our three winter benefit payments made up to the 24 January 2026, which includes the number of clients who received a PAWHP payment by 31 December 2025. Our next publication is scheduled for 4 March 2026.

About FOI

Social Security Scotland is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. The Scottish Government also publishes responses to requests. You can view the responses at Publications - gov.scot