Winter Heating Payment: service level agreement between the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Scottish Ministers

2. Scope and Principles

2.1 ‘This Agreement’ sets out the provisions of the relationship between Scottish Ministers and DWP in relation to the Winter Heating Payment and ‘the Services’ DWP will provide to support this. The Services are described in Annexes 2 to 8.

2.2 Winter Heating Payment is an annual payment made to all eligible households in Scotland and will be administered by Social Security Scotland. Winter Heating Payment, replaces DWP’s Cold Weather Payment, it is not dependent on a period of sustained cold weather, and will give eligible clients on income related benefits guaranteed support with energy bills in winter.

2.3 Under the associated Data Sharing Agreement, DWP will provide data to enable Social Security Scotland to make a Winter Heating Payment to residents in Scotland who meet the eligibility criteria detailed in Annex 1.

2.4 DWP will deal with customer enquiries relating to Winter Heating Payment by sign posting customers to Social Security Scotland.

2.5 DWP and Scottish Ministers shall work in partnership to ensure that the Services are delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

2.6 The partnership will seek continuous improvement in delivery standards including sharing lessons from delivery of the Services insofar as relevant.

2.7 Each Party will act transparently and will work in a practical way in regards to reaching mutual agreement on any issues that may arise.