That's all from our live coverage of the ministerial statement on winter fuel payments, which followed on from this week's session of First Minister's Questions.

Our editors today were Paul McLaren and Paul Hastie, and our writers were Craig Hutchison and Megan Bonar.

Thanks for joining us.

Pension Credit numbers aren't stacking uppublished at 15:35 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2024

15:35 GMT 28 November 2024

Colletta Smith
Cost of living correspondent

As we digest the Scottish government's plans, it's worth pointing out that there has been a significant increase in the number of people applying for Pension Credit since the UK government’s cuts to the winter fuel payment, made at the end of July.

However, there’s been a much smaller increase in the number of people being awarded Pension Credit. That has only increased by 17% in the last 16 weeks, as opposed to a 145% increase in those applying in the hopes of receiving the money.

That means 81,000 more pensioners have received the extra cash since the summer, out of a possible 880,000 people who the government believe are eligible for the money.

The small increase in the numbers receiving Pension Credit, and therefore the winter fuel payment, will do little to calm the concerns that millions of pensioners will struggle to afford to heat their homes this winter.

Here's a quick recap of the government's announcements.

The Scottish government will provide universal support through the introduction of Pension Age Winter Heating Payments next year ensuring a payment for every pensioner household in winter 2025-26.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed that, on the roll-out of the new benefit next winter, pensioners in receipt of a relevant qualifying benefit such as Pension Credit will be receiving Pension Age Winter Heating Payments of £300 or £200, depending on their age.

Meanwhile, all other pensioner households will receive £100 from next winter, providing them with support not available anywhere else in the UK.

Somerville also announced a £41m package of support for people struggling with energy costs this winter.

These measures include an additional £20m which will be provided for the Scottish Welfare Fund, to enable councils to provide more support to people in crisis this winter.

An additional £20m will be invested into the Warmer Homes Scotland Scheme, the national fuel poverty scheme which helps people install energy efficiency measures and more efficient heating systems, saving on average around £300 per year in household energy bills.

Grant-funding of £1m will be made available to registered social landlords and third sector partners to fund work to help sustain tenancies and prevent homelessness. This is in response to calls from a coalition of housing and anti-poverty organisations for a shift in spending from crisis intervention to prevention.

"Has the cabinet secretary any advice for constituents who have worked hard all their lives for pension entitlements but don't qualify for pension credits," asks Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton.

She welcomes the £100 payment but says it won't support vulnerable elderly people this winter.

The minister says its a shame the Tory government did not address issues around Pension Credit.

Somerville points out the Tories want tax cuts and more cash at the same time.

Scottish Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie asks where the money came from for this policy.

Shirley Anne-Somerville says the Budget will be announced next week and that is when the details will be revealed.

SNP MSP Jackie Dunbar says it is vital to make energy pricing fairer and she welcomes the introduction of a social tariff.

Somerville says the MSP is quite right to point out the importance of a social tariff and a working group has been set up, but the ability to deliver it comes down to UK government funding.

It's now the turn of Green MSP Maggie Chapman to pose her question to the minister.

She says temperatures have already plummeted and people are being forced into the choice of heating or eating.

She asks how the government will ensure the money gets to these people right now.

The cabinet secretary stresses the importance of supporting Scotland's councils as they administer the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Administration costs have been taken account of, she says.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth points out that fuel poverty is at a record level for those in later life and asks about government energy efficiency schemes.

The cabinet secretary says 150,000 households in or at risk of fuel poverty have been assisted by energy efficiency schemes in the last decade.

Somerville says energy costs are rising under Labour.

Scottish Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour asks for confirmation that the Household Support Fund block grant adjustment is £41m.

Somerville says the Scottish government has to look at how quickly it can provide support for people and the quickest way is to use the Scottish Welfare Fund.

The SNP’s Claire Adamson says Labour promised to lower energy bills while they have gone up.

She says it would be better if the decisions and the rules around regulation of energy were made in Scotland.

Somerville agrees that it is a “deeply expensive“ way to try and protect people.

The social justice secretary says the Scottish Parliament could do so much more if it wasn’t “shackled to Westminster spending decisions”.

Paul O'Kane welcomes the support being offered this winter and highlights the £42m that will come to Holyrood as a result of UK government decisions on the household support fund.

The Labour MSP asks if this is finally clarity about what that money is going to be used for.

He points to Barnett consequentials of £1.5bn rising to £3.4bn next year and he asks if it is due to this that the minister can bring forward regulations on pension-age winter heating payments.

Somerville replies: "Labour whipped away money from pensioners this year."

She insists the Scottish government is once again stepping up to defend Scotland's pensioners.

Scottish Tory MSP Liz Smith says there is “more than a hint of irony” in the SNP announcement, saying real pressure on budgets comes from the Scottish government’s own decisions while they are laying blame with UK Labour.

Smith says they are “hoodwinking pensioners” by suggesting they are bringing back the full winter fuel payment.

Somerville insists that they are returning to a universal payment for pensioners.

She says it is an "investment in our people" and an "important protection for pensioners".

The social justice secretary insists: "This Scottish government is determined to stay true to our values.

"We will not abandon older people this winter or indeed any winter and we will continue to protect our pensioners from the harsh reality of a UK Labour government."

The social justice secretary announces ahead of next winter she will bring forward regulations to introduce a universal pension age winter heating payment for winter 25/26 "for every single Scottish pensioner".

Shirley Anne-Somerville says this payment will help mitigate energy costs and provide vital cost of living support and help reduce pensioner poverty.

Pensioners in Scotland in receipt of qualifying benefits like Pension Credit will receive payments of £200 or £300 depending on their age, she explains. There will be £100 for other households.

Somerville says households face twin pressures - cuts to social security from the Tory then Labour governments, and also rising energy costs despite promises by labour these would go down.

To mitigate this, she says the government is announcing

• £20m in welfare funding for councils
• £20m in the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme
• £1m to social landlords and the third sector fore homelessness prevention work
• A new benefit to help pensioners who lost their winter fuel payments
• Households in receipt of qualifying benefits like Pension Credit will get £200 or £300 depending on their age
• All all others will get £100.

Shirley-Anne Somerville says every pensioner in Scotland will get a winter heating payment in 2025/26.

Shirley-Anne Somerville apologises for coverage of her statement in the media earlier and says she has written to the presiding officer to apologise.

The social justice secretary says an “important provision for pensioners” was abolished by the UK government without notice to the Scottish government.

She says she had repeatedly urged the UK government to reverse the decisions, to ensure that “vital support” is available for pensioners this winter.

It means the Scottish government is in a position where it is having to mitigate the UK government’s damaging decision on social security policy.

Image source, Getty Images

It is thought the Scottish government has found some additional money to help older people in need of assistance this winter but that this funding will be a relatively small amount.

An estimated 900,000 people in Scotland are losing out because of the chancellor's decision to cut universal provision of winter fuel payments.

That came as part of a package of measures aimed at closing what Labour has called a "black hole" in public finances left over by the previous Conservative government.

The Scottish government, which had been due to introduce a replacement benefit north of the border in April, had said Labour's move left it £150m short and with no choice but to push those plans back until late 2025.

In August, Somerville said she had "no choice" but to follow the UK government's decision to limit those pensioners who qualify for the payment.

That came as Scotland’s finance secretary ordered ministers to “constrain all but essential" spending to help pay for public sector pay deals.

Read more here.

As expected, the presiding officer addresses the media leaks about this statement before allowing Social Justice Secretary Shirley Anne-Somerville to begin.

Alison Johnstone says some aspects of the statement have appeared in the media.

She accuses the government of being disrespectul and says the minister has apologised.

The statement will be shorter as a result.