SUPPORT for pensioners who have lost their Winter Fuel Payment is expected to be announced by the Scottish Government today, to mitigate the Westminster cuts.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville is expected to announce potential support for pensioners in a statement to Holyrood on Thursday.
The Scottish Government is expected to offer some sort of assistance for pensioners but it is considered unlikely the payment in its entirety would be reinstated, with partial support more likely.
The statement is set to take place at 2.40pm.
READ MORE: John Swinney says Anas Sarwar U-turn on winter fuel is 'step forward'
Reports suggest the payment may be available next year, with a separate payment possibly introduced this year to mitigate Chancellor Rachel Reeves ending the universal Winter Fuel Payment in July.
The First Minister also told journalists in Edinburgh yesterday that there are “steps that could be taken” in Scotland to help pensioners who are set to struggle on the back of losing the benefit, hinting that further support is likely to be announced.
Scottish Labour previously announced they wanted to taper the payment according to wealth, and earlier this week they said they would force a vote on it.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar pledged last week his party would bring back a universal Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners if they came to power in 2026.
After the universal Winter Fuel Payment was cut by his own party at Westminster, Sarwar framed it as an "opportunity" for Scotland to make the benefit means-tested.
In October, Sarwar had his group of MSPs vote against a Holyrood motion calling on the UK Government to reverse its cuts to the payments.
He later said he would be forcing a vote in Holyrood next week to try and bring the payment back, despite his MPs and MSPs backing Westminster’s cut to the benefit in the past two months.
Sarwar has been accused of “gaslighting a nation” with his U-turn, but Swinney praised the Scottish Labour leader for coming to the realisation the Labour UK Government have caused a “real, big problem” for Scotland in deciding to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment.
Though the First Minister did not confirm if the Scottish Government would be bringing back the payment, he strongly hinted further support would be laid out in Parliament this week..
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