Social Security Experience Panels - Low Income Winter Heating Assistance: survey findings

Eligibility

People on certain low income benefits may be eligible for Low Income Winter Heating Assistance. These benefits include Income Support, Income Based Job Seeker's Allowance, Income Related Employment Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Support for Mortgage Interest Loan, and Universal Credit. As with the current Cold Weather Payment, additional qualifying criteria for some of these benefits may also need to be satisfied. For example, in relation to disability premiums paid to the client, or if a disabled child or child under 5 years of age lives in their household.^[5]

These are the same qualifying benefits and qualifying conditions used for determining Cold Weather Payment eligibility. This means that everyone in Scotland who would have been eligible for a Cold Weather Payment will be eligible for the new benefit in Scotland.

We asked Panel members if the eligibility criteria for the new benefit is clear. 81 per cent of respondents said 'Yes, it is clear', while 19 per cent said 'No, it is not clear'.

Table 8. Is the eligibility criteria for the new benefit clear?

We asked those respondents who said they did not find the eligibility clear, what it was that they were unsure of. While some people said they did not understand the criteria entirely, others were unsure about why other benefits were not included in the criteria, and mentioned they thought some people in need would miss out on the new benefit.

"Would people on Personal Independence Payments qualify? What If there is more than one disabled person in the household? In my case myself with cerebral palsy, my partner with the hidden disabilities and my stepdaughter with autism. Can we apply as individuals?"

"What about people that are disabled who are on Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance benefits or elderly who are not on pension credits? State pension is not a benefit."

"I note that War Widows Pension (classed by UK Government as a benefit) is not included in the list of those eligible, nor is Carers Allowance or Carers Credit. As War Widows Benefit is currently my only income and obviates me from other benefits I am also on a low income."

We then asked if respondents thought using these qualifying benefits was a good way of deciding who is eligible for the new benefit in Scotland. 57 per cent of respondents said 'Yes' and 30 per cent said 'No'. 13 per cent said that they didn't know. By keeping the qualifying criteria for Low Income Winter Heating Assistance the same as for Cold Weather Payment, the intention is to make transitioning recipients over from the old benefit to the new benefit as straightforward as possible. We asked Panel members if they agreed with the plan to keep the same qualifying benefits for the new Scottish benefit as for Cold Weather Payments. 54 per cent of respondents said they agreed, while 29 per cent said they disagreed. 17 per cent said that they didn't know.

Respondents who said using these qualifying benefits were not a good way of deciding who is eligible explained why they thought this. Some respondents said that these qualifying benefits, or the additional qualifying criteria are unfair because they can discriminate against people on certain benefits, or that people on low incomes are not necessarily eligible for low income benefits. Others said that the eligibility criteria needed to include more benefits or circumstances.

"It is good but other benefits should also be included, we have just lost income support because my small business made a small profit but not enough to cover what we have just lost benefit-wise so now we struggle to heat our home. My partner needs it warm because of his disability, but I don't think that we would qualify looking at the list."

"The use of these 'qualifying benefits' excludes so many disabled people who need Winter Heating Assistance, and due to [disability related expenditure] probably need it more than some of those who will qualify using the current system."

"You seem to be missing out certain benefits such as Personal Independence Payment and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit where those recipients will be on low incomes as well."

"The current qualifying conditions exclude people who are struggling but do not qualify for specific benefits and they justifiably resent those of us who do because they are working or have done so all their lives."