Payment for care leavers – Financial support for young people leaving care

Young people transitioning from the care system into adulthood are to receive a one-off Care Leaver Payment of £2,000 to support them to move into more independent living under proposals being considered. See link for further information: Payment for care leavers – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

National Mission on Drugs Annual Report

Minister welcomes progress in key areas. The second annual report on the National Mission on Drugs has highlighted a wide range of initiatives and projects aimed at reducing deaths and improving the lives of people impacted by drugs. It sets out the progress made from April 2022 to March 2023 against the National Mission Plan. For more information please see link: National Mission on Drugs Annual Report – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Who is eligible for Winter Heating Payment

• How Winter Heating Payment works
• Who is eligible for Winter Heating Payment
• If you do not receive a Winter Heating Payment
• Check if you’re eligible for Winter Heating Payment

Winter Heating Payment is for people in Scotland who:

• get a particular benefit – this is the ‘qualifying benefit’
• get the qualifying benefit on at least one day between Monday 7 November to Sunday 13 November 2022 – this is the ‘qualifying week’
• meet one other specific requirement of their qualifying benefit

For more information click the link: Who is eligible for Winter Heating Payment – mygov.scot

Pension Age Winter Heating Consultation

The Scottish Government has committed to replacing Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) with Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) on a like-for-like basis. Given the significant number of clients who will be transferred to Social Security Scotland with this benefit and the need to ensure a safe and secure transition, the focus of this consultation is around gathering evidence on people’s views of the current benefit and considering how we could improve the system already in place.

SG are therefore consulting on the policy intention behind the delivery of PAWHP, building on the broader consultation on the Social Security Bill in 2016 which asked respondents for their views on WFP and Cold Weather Payment. This consultation aims to provide an overview of the payments aim, its key eligibility criteria and format. It will lay out how we intend to deliver this new benefit through Social Security Scotland to provide assistance to individuals to help towards meeting heating costs in winter. We also want to identify any unintended consequences of our proposals.

This consultation asks questions on whether the policy intent set out in the Scottish approach to replacing WFP will best meet the needs of those it is intended to help.

SG would like to gather views to ensure we have identified the impacts this policy will have, and provide the opportunity to make improvements to the benefit going forward.

Read the consultation paper: Pension Age Winter Heating Payment – Scottish Government consultations – Citizen Space

Social Security Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government. They help the people of Scotland by delivering social security payments, for more information please click on the link: Social Security Scotland – Homepage

Partnership Engagement Officer |Planning & Performance|South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership | Elgin House | First Floor, Main Building  | Ailsa Hospital | Dalmellington Road | Ayr | KA6 6AB | Direct Line: 01292 612623| www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk

South Ayrshire Community Transport – Out & About Winter 2023-2024 Programme