Winter Heating Payment (Low Income) (Scotland): child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

How will the policy/measure give better or further effect to the implementation of the UNCRC in Scotland?

15. Through WHP, the Scottish Government continue to take proactive steps to ensure the protection of children’s rights, including the right to benefit from social security (Article 26) and the right to a standard of living (article 27) that is good enough to meet their physical and social needs.

16. Although it is difficult to quantify the impact the introduction a new benefit like this would have on reducing the fuel poverty rate in Scottish households, data from the Scottish House Condition Survey 2019 showed that, 37% of households receiving CWP were fuel poor. If the weather dependent criterion is removed this would rise to 45%^[7]. WHP will provide guaranteed income to families on low incomes who have been identified as most in need of additional support (households with children under 5, a disabled child or children living in a household with a disabled adult or older person).