2 hours ago
1
The Scottish Parliament voted by 99 to 14 successful favour of a solution from the First Minister, requesting the Labour Government astatine Westminster to marque a U-turn. The question was supported by each the parties, including erstwhile Scottish Labour person Richard Leonard and Alex Rowley, who resigned from the beforehand seat past month.
Mr Swinney said: “Reversing this determination connected the wintertime substance outgo volition beryllium a captious measurement successful ensuring our citizens tin spend to unrecorded successful lukewarm homes.”
He besides cautioned the UK Government that "more and much people" could question "why it is that a state arsenic energy-rich arsenic Scotland should tolerate specified decisions being imposed upon america by Westminster governments" if it does not alteration the argumentation and ignores requests for vigor marketplace reform.
Following the UK government's determination to halt providing cosmopolitan wintertime substance payments to millions of retirees southbound of the border, the Scottish authorities claimed it was forced to present means-testing, which limits the payments to individuals who get pension credit. About 900,000 less seniors successful Scotland are anticipated to person the outgo arsenic a result.
Scottish National Party (SNP) MSP Clare Haughey said: “Today, Anas Sarwar made his prime - it is much important for him to prevarication down for Sir Keir Starmer than basal up for susceptible pensioners successful Scotland.”
Scottish Labour person Anas Sarwar told MSPs that the Labour Government is “not liable for the chaos and harm inherited from the Tories”.
He said: “This is simply a determination that the Labour authorities did not privation to marque but they are not liable for the chaos and harm inherited for the Tories. And wherefore the SNP of each radical privation to minimise the harm the Tories person done is for them to explain.”
Meanwhile, a authorities spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting pensioners – with millions acceptable to spot their authorities pension emergence by up to £1,700 this Parliament done our committedness to the triple lock. Over a cardinal pensioners volition inactive person the wintertime substance payment, and our thrust to boost pension recognition instrumentality up has already seen a 152% summation successful claims.
“Many others volition besides payment from the £150 lukewarm location discount to assistance with vigor bills implicit winter, portion our hold of the household enactment money volition assistance with the outgo of food, heating and bills.”
Here’s what you request to cognize astir the wintertime substance payment.
What is the wintertime substance payment?
It is simply a tax-free yearly outgo the Government provides to assistance older radical with their heating costs during the winter. At present, the payments are a cosmopolitan payment for each pensioners — but not for overmuch longer.
Who is eligible for wintertime substance payment?
The magnitude you person depends connected your property and surviving situation. For example:
From 2024, lone pensioners receiving different benefits specified arsenic cosmopolitan recognition oregon pension recognition volition suffice for the wintertime substance payment.
Many person argued that pensioners lone person pension recognition if their yearly income is beneath £11,336.
Caroline Abrahams, foundation manager astatine Age UK, said restricting the wintertime substance payment to those connected pension recognition was “reckless and wrong” and “spells catastrophe for pensioners connected debased and humble incomes”.
Age UK said it would combat the determination and person launched a petition.
Scotland nary longer provides the cosmopolitan wintertime substance outgo for each pensioners. Instead, the Scottish authorities has introduced the wintertime heating payment, an yearly allowance of£58.75for those receiving definite benefits.
When volition eligible radical person their wintertime substance payment?
You’ll get a missive telling you:
- how overmuch you’ll get
- the slope relationship it volition beryllium paid into — usually the aforesaid 1 arsenic your pension recognition oregon different benefits.
How to use if you deliberation you should beryllium eligible for the wintertime substance payment
If you deliberation you should beryllium eligible for the wintertime substance outgo but haven’t received it automatically, you tin use by pursuing these steps:
- Check eligibility: Ensure you conscionable the eligibility criteria mentioned above.
- Gather information: Have your National Insurance number, slope oregon gathering nine details, and the day you were joined oregon entered into a civilian concern (if applicable) ready.
- Apply by telephone oregon post: By phone: Call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. The telephone fig tin beryllium recovered connected the UK Government website. By post: Download the assertion signifier from the UK Government website, capable it out, and nonstop it to the code provided connected the form.
- Submit your claim: Make definite to taxable your assertion by the deadline, usually astir the extremity of March for that wintertime season.
When was the wintertime substance allowance introduced?
The Labour authorities of Tony Blair introduced the outgo successful 1997 to tackle substance poorness among older people. The extremity was to supply fiscal enactment to assistance pensioners with the costs of heating their homes during the acold wintertime months.
The outgo was £20 (or £50 for those successful receipt of means-tested benefits).
.png "indianexpress.")
.png "khaleejtimes")
.png "arabnews")
.png "gulfnews"){kind=logo}
English (US) · 
Hindi (IN) ·