New winter heating benefit moves away from ‘unjust’ system, minister insists

A new devolved benefit for winter heating payments moves away from an “unjust” system based on temperature readings, a minister has said.

Ben Macpherson also responded to accusations that the £50 Winter Heating Payment would barely “scratch the surface” of the financial challenge households are facing.

The one-off annual payment for households on low-income benefits is due to begin in February and replaces the Cold Weather Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions.

The social security minister spoke to Holyrood’s Social Justice Committee on Thursday as he set out the regulations for the new benefit.

The £25 Cold Weather Payment is only triggered when the temperature in a certain area falls below 0C for seven consecutive days.

Mr Macpherson told the committee the geographical position of the weather stations meant some places would not receive the payment despite experiencing a week of cold weather.

The weather station covering much of Glasgow and Renfrewshire is in Bishopton, Mr Macpherson said.

He said: “There was a clear view from the consultation and experience panels that breaking the link with cold weather was much preferred because of the unreliability of not knowing whether support would be available.

“I think it is unjust and that’s why we’re making a change to a reliable payment.”

The Scottish Government says the new benefit will help around 400,000 people, compared to 185,000 under the previous payment.

Scottish Labour’s Pam Duncan-Glancy acknowledged that more people would receive money, but added: “It’s important to remember that it’s £1 a week, it’s barely going to scratch the surface.”

Mr Macpherson said there is flexibility to make the payment more frequent or at a higher level in future, but this would be part of the Government’s budget process.

The Scottish Government is providing social security support which is not available elsewhere in the UK such as the Scottish Child Payment, he added.

Mr Macpherson said: “Would I like winter heating assistance to be a higher amount? Of course I would. But we have to operate within the budgets that we have.”

Conservative Jeremy Balfour said the new system means some communities will lose out, as they have previously received two or more Cold Weather Payments within a single winter.

The minister said the inconsistency of the Cold Weather Payment is one of its “inherent weaknesses” and a majority of recipients would receive more on average.

Following a debate, the committee of eight MSPs voted to affirm the regulations for the Winter Heating Payment, but voting was split along party lines.

Labour MSPs, who had argued the payment will be insufficient, abstained, as did the Conservatives MSPs – who raised concerns it will not be targeted properly.

The four SNP MSPs on the Social Justice Committee all voted in favour of the regulations.