Social security experience panels: cold spell and winter fuel payment - visual summary

Findings from research with Social Security experience panels members on the new cold spell heating assistance and winter heating assistance.

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Accessing support to heat your home

Most respondents were aware of the different support available to help meet the costs of heating in winter months. 

The majority of respondents said that they had heard of Winter Fuel Payments (96 per cent) 

Most had heard of Cold Weather Payments (89 per cent)

Most were also “confident” or “very confident” what these were (89 per cent and 77 per cent respectively). 

More than three in five (62 per cent) respondents said that they know what the Warm Home Discount scheme is. 

More than half (57 per cent) of respondents said that they were “confident” or “very confident” that they knew the difference between Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount.

More than one in five (21 per cent) respondents said that meeting the cost of fuel for heating caused them financial difficulty throughout the year. 

One in six (55 per cent) said the cost of fuel for heating caused financial difficulty in the colder months.

Around half (51 per cent) said that they would know where to go for information on Cold Weather Payment and/or Winter Fuel Payment. This included Gov.uk, speaking to friends and family, or Citizens Advice.

Contact

Email: Socialsecurityexperience@gov.scot

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