Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)

Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Question reference: S6W-42567

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that some Edinburgh Western constituents are yet to receive their Winter Heating Payments and have been told that they may need to wait until February to get them in their accounts, what the reasons are for some payments not having been allocated.

Winter Heating Payment is an automatic payment made during the winter months to help eligible people with heating costs.

It replaced the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment for people in Scotland and is paid regardless of temperature – unlike the payment it replaced, which only applied if temperatures stayed at or below freezing for a week.

Social Security Scotland contacts clients before payment is issued. Most people will receive their payment by the end of December 2025, although payments will continue to be made until the end of February 2026.

As of 14 December 2025, more than 225,000 Winter Heating Payments had already been made. Further details are available on Social Security Scotland’s website at: Winter Benefits management information release to 14 December 2025.

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Question reference: S6W-42567

Answer