BBCEach and every Scottish pensioner will obtain a wintry weather gasoline fee subsequent yr, the federal government has introduced.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville instructed the Scottish Parliament the ones in receipt of qualifying advantages like Pension Credit score would get £200 or £300 relying on their age, whilst all different pensioners would get £100.
The finances will probably be paid thru a brand new Holyrood receive advantages, which might not be in a position till past due 2025.
The United Kingdom executive scrapped common entitlement to wintry weather gasoline bills – which might be set at both £200 or £300 – previous this yr, with simplest the ones on Pension Credit score or different advantages eligible.
The Scottish executive was once because of take over duty for wintry weather gasoline bills in September – however the advent of a brand new common receive advantages north of the border was once behind schedule after the United Kingdom executive choice.
Somerville stated the exchange to UK eligibility laws left it with a £150m shortfall, and it had no selection however to push its plans again till past due 2025.
The exchange ability an estimated 900,000 pensioners in Scotland are dropping out on a gasoline fee this wintry weather.
‘Harsh truth’
Somerville instructed MSPs the ones Scots would via subsequent wintry weather be entitled to the newly-devolved pension age wintry weather heating fee (PAWHP).
She stated: “This common receive advantages – offering a lot wanted fortify now not to be had anyplace else in the United Kingdom – will ship fortify for all pensioner families as we had at all times supposed to do ahead of the United Kingdom executive choice to means-test wintry weather gasoline bills reduce the investment to be had to fortify our new receive advantages in Scotland this wintry weather via £147 million.
“We can now not abandon older folks this wintry weather or any wintry weather.
“We can do our highest to verify no-one has to come to a decision between heating and consuming, and we can proceed to give protection to pensioners”.
The social justice secretary additionally introduced an additional £20m in welfare investment for councils on this monetary yr, in addition to an extra £20m for the Hotter Houses Scotland Scheme.
There will probably be an extra £1m for social landlords and the 3rd sector for homelessness prevention paintings.
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