Winter Heating Assistance (Pension Age) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025: Policy Note

Periods in respect of a re-determination request

The regulations provide 42 calendar days for a client to request a re-determination.

In winter 2024/2025, payments were made by the DWP on behalf of Scottish Ministers under agency agreement, and the timescale for requesting a re-determination was therefore set at 31 days to align with DWPs ‘mandatory reconsiderations’, whereby clients should request a mandatory reconsideration within one month of their decision, to help streamline the process for winter 2024/25.

The current PAWHP regulations provided 31 days for a client to request a re-determination and 56 days for a decision on a re-determination request to be made.

By providing 42 days for a client to request a re-determination, this enhanced timescale for re-determinations will align with disability benefit timescales, offering increased time and flexibility for clients to request a re-determination.