Thousands of Scottish families are set to receive welcome financial support this winter through the Child Winter Heating Payment, with some households receiving up to £503 in bonus payments.
Payment Details and Eligibility
The annual payment, administered by Social Security Scotland, provides £251.50 per eligible child during the winter months. Families with two qualifying children could receive the maximum £503 payment, offering significant help with heating costs during the coldest season.
To qualify for the support, children must be under 19 years old and have been receiving one of the following disability benefits during the qualifying week in September 2025:
- The highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
- The highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children
- The enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
- The enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
Important Eligibility Information
This benefit is exclusively available to Scottish residents and is paid directly to parents and carers to help cover the additional costs of raising a disabled child or young person. The payment represents an increase from last year's amount of £235.70 per child.
The Scottish government has confirmed that if there is more than one child or young person who qualifies in the household, they each receive a payment. This means families with multiple eligible children will receive payments for each child, potentially providing hundreds of pounds in additional winter support.
Claiming Your Payment
Those who have claimed one of the qualifying benefits since the September qualifying week, but had their payment backdated to cover that period, will also receive the Child Winter Heating Payment. The support is automatically paid to eligible families, meaning most recipients don't need to apply separately.
This financial assistance comes at a crucial time for families facing increased winter heating costs, providing targeted support to households with disabled children who often face higher energy requirements.
