MSPTom welcomes winter benefit
Renfrewshire MSP Tom Arthur welcomed the news over 14,000 households in the area are set to receive a winter benefit.
Around 14,300 households in Renfrewshire and approximately 3,900 across East Renfrewshire will receive an automatic £50 from the Scottish Government’s new winter heating payment in the coming few weeks, regardless of the weather conditions.
The new payment replaces the Cold Weather Payment – a Westminster benefit administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – that only paid out when the temperature in Renfrewshire fell far enough for an extended period.
This meant many areas across Scotland missed out on any help at all from one year to the next because it was not cold enough for long enough.
In contrast, the new £50 Scottish payment is guaranteed to be paid to every eligible household regardless of what the weather is like.
Last week, the SNP Scottish Government received the data needed from the DWP to identify everyone in Scotland who is eligible. It is now going through a process to make sure all payments are paid safely and securely.
Mr Arthur, SNP MSP for Renfrewshire South, has welcomed the benefit.
He said:“This really is a massive improvement for around 14,300 hard-pressed households in Renfrewshire and around 3,900 in East Renfrewshire.
“We have replaced the old Westminster payment – which only paid out when the temperature plunged for a sustained period – with a new Scottish payment that is reliable because it is guaranteed every year and does not depend on the temperature turning Baltic.
“It means those in need will get the much-needed extra cash this month or next without having to shiver away at home while hoping the weather stays cold long enough to trigger a payment.
“The new Scottish benefit will see £20 million put into the pockets of 415,000 households in the next few weeks.”