Exclusive:John Swinney pledge to pensioners over winter fuel payment to be broken
First Minister John Swinney promised to have paid one million winter fuel payments to Scots pensioners by St Andrew’s Day - but this target will not be met.
John Swinney’s benefits agency is to break the First Minister’s pledge to pensioners over the winter fuel payment.
When Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the winter fuel payment would be means-tested, the Scottish Government stepped in to say it would pay a Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) to every Scots OAP.
Mr Swinney went on record to promise that all payments would be made to nearly one million older people by St Andrew’s Day.
However, that November 30 deadline has been quietly dropped - and now Social Security Scotland will pay the benefit “from November” with the rollout continuing through the winter months.
Mr Swinney has been told he should apologise to pensioners for the broken commitment.
Scottish Conservative shadow social security secretary Alexander Stewart said: "If the minister cannot confirm they will be paid in full by the end of November, as the First Minister promised, then Scottish pensioners are owed an urgent apology and clarity on exactly when they will get this money.”
The First Minister said in May the UK Labour decision to scrap the universal winter fuel payment was a “complete betrayal”. He compared the move to Margaret Thatcher’s poll tax and Lib Dem Nick Clegg’s U-turn on tuition fees.
He went on: “The SNP Government’s winter fuel payment will be paid to Scotland’s pensioners by November 30 - St Andrew’s Day - this year.
“That means older people in Scotland will receive this crucial support before we get into the worst of the winter weather – and unlike Labour, we will never abandon this vital support for our pensioners. That is my guarantee.”
However, the Government will now not commit to the November 30 date.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said her benefits agency had “worked hard” to “remain on track” to pay the devolved PAWHP, but without giving a cut-off date. The universal benefit for pensioners is worth up to £300, depending on household make up and income.
Ms Somerville said: “The Pension Age Winter Heating Payments will roll out in November as planned.
“While the UK Government’s U-turn on the winter fuel payment has caused difficulty and confusion, and necessitated some changes to our policy, we have worked hard to ensure that we remain on track to provide this vital support for Scotland’s pensioners.
“Payments will be made automatically to those eligible, but people may choose to opt out of receiving the payment.”
To opt out, recipients must use an online form before October 10 or directly contact Social Security Scotland after that date.
Mr Stewart added: “John Swinney must come clean on whether the SNP have once again shifted the goalposts for pensioners. After shamefully following Labour’s lead last year and axing universal payments, there is now clear confusion over when these payments will reach those eligible.”
Last year it emerged nearly 40,000 Scots missed out on the payment of a newly devolved benefit as a result of flawed information sharing between the UK and Scottish governments.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was responsible for passing client details to Social Security Scotland to allow it to distribute winter heating payments to eligible Scots. But an error on the part of the DWP resulted in 37,000 people north of the border not being paid their entitlement.
It also delayed the devolution of the benefit to Social Security Scotland.
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