Benefits - Child Winter Heating Assistance

Child Winter Heating Assistance is a payment to help families of a child on the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance for Children to heat their homes.

To get the payment the child must meet the criteria on at least one day in the third full week of September (called the "qualifying week"). Children and young people in Scotland can get the assistance if they're under 19 years old and get one of the following 'qualifying benefits':

• the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
• the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children
• the enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
• the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment 

They must be getting this on at least one day in the third full week of September.

You do not need to apply for the payment if the child currently lives in Scotland. If the child or young person is eligible, you'll be paid automatically into the same account that your Disability Living Allowance for children is paid into. You'll get a letter from Social Security Scotland before the payment is made.

If you think you should have been paid Child Winter Heating Assistance, contact Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

More information is available from the Scottish Government.

The Welfare Support Team provide free, impartial and confidential support to claim all benefits and entitlements including Child Winter Heating Assistance. Contact the Welfare Support Team by:

• telephone 0800 090 1004 or;
• email welfare.support@highland.gov.uk