Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle Ewing has welcomed the plans for a new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment and is encouraging her constituents to voice their thoughts. 

Ms Ewing is in favour of the Scottish Government's plans to introduce the new payment, which, from winter 2024, will be an annual payment replacing the UK government’s Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland.

Ms Ewing is encouraging constituents in her Cowdenbeath constituency to complete the consultation to ensure the payment is as effective as possible in helping local pensioners with their winter heating costs.

She said: “This new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment to be delivered by the SNP Government will help over a million pensioners in Scotland with their heating costs, including thousands here in my constituency of Cowdenbeath.

“The SNP Government is committed to helping the most vulnerable through the difficult winter period – but it is vital people make their views known of how this payment can best be delivered."

The Scottish Government are carrying out a consultation process to best understand who should be eligible for this payment, when and how it should be delivered, and what measures can be put in place to support those living off the gas grid.

The consultation is now open and can be found here. It will close on January 15, 2024.