UK households waking up to free £503 in little-known winter payment

UK households are poised to wake up to £503 payments thanks to a little-known winter scheme before Christmas. The Child Winter Heating Payment is worth £251.50 per child, meaning a family with two eligible children could receive just over £500 in total.

Families in Scotland with children could receive a Child Winter Heating Payment between £251.50 and £503 this winter. Eligible families must have children under 19 receiving specific disability benefits during the qualifying week in September 2024.

The little-known benefit is given out to households with dependent children who claim certain benefits including Child Disability Payment and more. The payment is made once a year, every winter, to eligible families. It's given out by Social Security Scotland, which means that only those living in Scotland can get it.

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It's paid directly to parents and carers to help meet the cost of raising a disabled child, or young person. Children and young people in Scotland can get the payment if they're under 19 years old and get one of the following qualifying benefits.

These are the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment or the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children or alternatively the enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment or the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment

But anyone in line for the payment must have received their benefit during this year's qualifying week. For 2024, this was Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September. Those who have since claimed one of the above qualifying benefits, which has been backdated to this date, will also get the Child Winter Heating Payment.

This year's payment is worth £251.50, an increase from last year's £235.70. However, the Scottish government confirms that 'if there is more than one child or young person who qualifies in the household, they each get a payment'. That means a parent with two children who meet the above criteria would get £503.