£2,492,000 winter heating help paid to people in the City of Edinburgh

Over 34,240 people in Edinburgh get payments for winter 2024/2025

Last winter over 34,240 children and families across the City of Edinburgh enjoyed warmer homes after receiving a total of £2,492,000 towards their heating bills from Social Security Scotland.

Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who get certain low-income benefits, including households with young children, disabled people or older people. It has replaced the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Cold Weather Payment in Scotland.

It is a guaranteed payment that everyone who is eligible receives, no matter what the weather. Cold Weather Payment is only paid if the average temperature falls – or is forecast to fall – to freezing or below for a full week. 

Child Winter Heating Payment was introduced by the Scottish Government in November 2020 and is only available in Scotland. It is paid once a year to children and young people if they are under 19 years old and get certain benefits.

A total of 31,745 Winter Heating Payments, worth £1,865,000 were made for 2024/2025, along with 2,495 Child Winter Heating Payments, worth £627,000.

The figures, taken from statistics released on Tuesday 29 April, also show that 95% of Winter Heating Payments were made by December 2024 and 93% of Child Winter Heating Payments were made by October 2024.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We have issued over 505,100 payments to families on low incomes, and those supporting children or young people with a disability, to help with the cost of heating their homes.

“Many people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and higher energy bills. The importance of these payments was brought home to everyone this month with the Energy Price Cap rising by 6.4%. Ofgem estimates that this will add £9.25 a month to the typical household’s energy bill. 

“This year we will also be providing extra support to pensioners. While the DWP’s Winter Fuel Payment will only be available to some pensioners, Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will provide money to every pensioner household in the country. The Scottish Government will continue to protect pensioners and people on low incomes in Scotland.”

BACKGROUND:

Energy price cap will rise by 6.4% from April | Ofgem

The information for Winter Heating Payments comes from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). The last of four data files was received from the DWP in late March 2025.

Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to people who were getting any of these benefits during the qualifying week:

  • Universal Credit
  • Pension Credit
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  • Support for Mortgage Interest

Some restrictions apply for some of these benefits. For example, for those qualifying through Income Support may also have to have a child under 5, a disability premium or a pensioner premium.

Children and young people in Scotland can get Child Winter Heating Payment if they are under 19 years old and get one of the following qualifying benefits:

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

They must be getting this on at least one day in the week starting with the third Monday of September (called the ‘qualifying week’). In 2024, this was Monday 16 September to Sunday 22 September.

The qualifying week for Winter Heating Payment was Monday 4 November 2024 to Sunday 10 November 2024.

We will introduce a universal Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in winter 2025/2026 for all pensioner households in Scotland. This universal payment will provide much needed support not available anywhere else in the UK and will support older people across Scotland as we had always intended to do before the UK Government’s decision to cut the payment.

From winter 2025/26, pensioners in Scotland in receipt of a relevant qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, and who will receive payments of £200 or £300 this winter, depending on their age, will continue to receive those payments automatically.

Additionally, we will introduce universal payments of £100 to every other pensioner household.

Beltane Fire Festival turns the wheel into Summer

EDINBURGH CELEBRATES THE START OF SUMMER WITH BELTANE FIRE FESTIVAL

Last night, thousands of revellers gathered on Calton Hill to mark the turning of the seasons and reconnect with nature through this year’s re-wilding-themed Beltane Fire Festival. 

Just under 7000 people joined in celebrating this powerful Edinburgh tradition, immersing themselves in a vivid, elemental journey of fire, rhythm and transformation.

The night was filled with drumming, hundreds of performers and plenty of fire – illuminating Calton Hill with a fierce and joyful energy. An unseasonably hot day with the clearest of skies made Beltane Night a night to remember! 

Jenny Bloom, Beltane Fire Society’s Chair said: “Another year, another magical Beltane! As we roll into summer and carry the May Queen’s message of renewal with us, a huge thank you to the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of witnesses who made it all happen.

“What a night! See you at Samhuinn!” 

The modern Beltane Fire Festival has been running since 1988 and is the spring and summer counterpart to Samhuinn Fire Festival, which is held at Holyrood Park on 31 October.

The events are immersive experiences, which involve modern re-imaginings of ancient celtic festivals to mark the turning seasons. 

The Beltane Fire Society is a charity run by volunteers, dedicated to marking the fire festivals of the ancient celtic calendar and keeping traditional Scottish skills of street theatre, music and pageantry alive.

‘Reckless’ driver who killed pensioner jailed

A 24-year-old man has been jailed following the death of a pedestrian in a crash in Stevenson Drive in Edinburgh in 2023.

Washe Manyatelo was sentenced to three years and seven months for death by dangerous driving at the High Court in Edinburgh, on Wednesday, 30 April, 2025.

He was also sentenced for a road traffic offence and a drugs offence having pled guilty at a previous hearing.

The incident happened around 3.30pm on Saturday, 26 August, 2023, when a 70-year-old woman was seriously injured and taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where she died a short time later.

Road Policing Sergeant Grant Hastie said: “I hope this sentencing brings closure and some comfort for the family and friends of the woman who died.

“This kind of driving is not tolerated. Manyatelo showed complete disregard for the law and his reckless actions highlight the devastating consequences of dangerous driving and the lasting impact it has on those involved.”

Social Security Scotland: Changes to payment dates due to Bank Holiday

Clients expecting a payment on Monday 5 May, will receive it by the end of Friday 2 May with the exception of some Best Start Foods payments.

Our phonelines and webchat will be closed on Monday 5 May for the bank holiday and reopen Tuesday 6 May.

Climate campaigners stage “Love Trees, Axe Drax” protest

Climate justice campaigners from groups including Extinction Rebellion Edinburgh, Biofuelwatch, Fuel Poverty Action, Stop Burning Trees, Protest in Harmony and Parents for Future Scotland have staged a musical and dance demonstration in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh as part of a UK-wide mobilisation for Drax’s AGM which is taking place in London today. 

Drax is the UK’s single largest carbon emitter and the world’s biggest tree burner.

The ‘Love Trees, Axe Drax’ protest featured speeches, dancing by the Scotland Tree Gees to ‘Staying Alive’ by the Bee Gees as well as singing led by Protest in Harmony, including Drax-themed lyrics to ‘Hit the Road Drax’ and ‘Money Money Money’ by Abba.  

The Edinburgh demonstration is part of a wider online and in-person mobilisation for Drax’s AGM today, with other protests happening in York, Liverpool and outside the AGM in London to call for an end to Drax’s tree-burning subsidies.  

In 2024, Drax received £869 million in green subsidies from UK energy bills, whilst making nearly £1.1 billion in profit and giving its CEO, Will Gardiner, a salary of nearly £3m.

In February this year, the Government announced plans to use UK energy bills to extend Drax’s renewable subsidies until 2031, contrary to the advice of the Climate Change Committee [4], and with no obligation for the company to capture any of the carbon dioxide it emits.

Sally Clark from Biofuelwatch said: ‘There is nothing green or sustainable about Drax’s tree burning, climate-wrecking emissions and harm to communities and wildlife. The Government needs to reconsider its catastrophic plans to grant huge new tree-burning subsidies for Drax. 

‘If we are to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 degrees and ensure a liveable future for all, we need to protect and restore the world’s forests, not allow big polluters like Drax to log and burn them.’ 

Cathy Allen from Extinction Rebellion Edinburgh said: ‘It is shocking that Drax is receiving billions in renewable subsidies from our energy bills to burn trees and pollute communities around the world.

“This is the opposite of green energy and the government’s plans to waste even more of our money on new subsidies for Drax will be a disaster for the planet if they go ahead. 

‘If the Government is serious about climate leadership, it should invest in real solutions like warm homes and wind and solar power, not send our futures up in smoke with even more money for Drax’s climate-wrecking tree burning.’

Drax has repeatedly been accused of driving ‘environmental racism’ by communities in the Southern US living near Drax’s pellet mills, which emit harmful pollutants linked to asthma, cancer and pulmonary health issues.

Earlier this month, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality refused Drax’s permit application to expand air pollution at its wood pellet mill in Gloster, Mississippi due to public health concerns and following multiple fines for Drax over air pollution violations.

Merry Dickinson, Lead Campaigner for the Stop Burning Trees Coalition said: ‘Today, Drax is gathering with its shareholders to discuss the profits it’s made from ripping off bill payers, burning forests and polluting communities abroad. Drax’s profits are built off scamming bill payers, destroying vital forests and polluting Black and low income communities in the US. 

‘It is a disgrace that the Government has just granted Drax more of our money to continue polluting our planet. We will not stand by and allow Drax’s destruction to go unchecked. The future is in real green energy and green jobs, not Drax’s dirty tree burning and pollution.’

Stuart Bretherton from Fuel Poverty Action said: ‘To stick further costs onto our energy bills, to continue subsidising record breaking profits from Drax’s destroying and burning of vital forests, is criminal.

“It’s not hard to find the solutions that could reduce bills and boost energy security without betraying our climate targets and harming communities here and abroad.

“This government should be looking at why the unit price of electricity is still tied to that of gas, forcing us to pay far more to heat our homes this way even though renewable electricity is much cheaper to produce. 

“And why are we paying out huge sums of public money for wind and solar farms to switch off during the highest periods of production, when this excess clean energy could power our homes for next to nothing, literally for free?” 

Last week, a new report by the Public Accounts Committee raised concerns that wood-burning companies like Drax are ‘marking their own homework’ when it comes to meeting sustainability standards.

BBC Panorama investigations have found that Drax is continuing to log primary forests in British Columbia in Canada and the company has failed more than once to report that it is sourcing wood to burn from previously untouched forests in Canada.

Mixu Paatelainen unveiled as Spartans Sporting Director

The Spartans are delighted to welcome Mixu Paatelainen as their new Sporting Director, supporting our Men’s and Women’s senior teams and our Men’s Under 20 team.

70 times capped for his native Finland, Paatelainen takes up the new role at The Spartans where he will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise courtesy of a playing career spanning two decades, followed up by eighteen years in managerial roles on both a domestic and national arena.

Speaking of his decision to join The Spartans, Mixu Paatelainen said: “I’ve been very impressed how people go about things, how organised they are, how good the people who are in charge are, and their ambition.

“Everybody knows that Spartans is a community club who do a lot for the kids – boys and girls – which is fabulous. The facilities are fantastic and what struck me straight away is that people are very ambitious, they don’t want to be a League 2 club all the way, they want to go forward and do better, and it’s a wonderful club, wonderful people, so I want to be part of that.

“I will step on nobody’s toes, that’s for sure – I want to be a sounding board. I know some head coaches, when there’s a sporting director coming to a club for the first time, they might be alarmed and worry that people think they are not doing a good enough job. That is not the case here.  Dougie has done a fantastic job, there’s no question, and this is just another piece in the jigsaw. It’s as simple as that.

“We want to  try to make us stronger and hopefully improve us enough to take the next step.”

Chairman Craig Graham added, “Mixu’s appointment brings us so much expertise.  He will support me, my fellow Directors and all our coaches as we continue to grow and develop our club.  It’s a brilliant appointment for us.

“We are an ambitious club and the Mixu will help us drive forward all aspects of our strategic agenda.  After a hugely successful playing and managerial career Mixu now has a senior role in the UEFA Technical team and with the SFA in coach education.

“He is so passionate about football and to helping others develop, it’s such an exciting move for us.” 

North Edinburgh Community Festival Set to Shine!

West Pilton Park will come alive on Saturday, 17th May, from 12:00 to 5:30 PM, as the much-anticipated and award-winning North Edinburgh Community Festival enters its fourth year.

Known for its vibrancy, inclusivity, and celebration of local talent, this year’s festival promises to be bigger, brighter, and more colourful than ever before. With over 10,000 attendees expected, it’s an unmissable event for the entire community.

Festival Highlights

This year, the festival will host over 160 local organisations, charities, and community groups, offering a kaleidoscope of activities—from hair braiding and glitter tattoos to boxing and dodgeball, from live music programmed by Granton Youth and Tinderbox to dance performances and pop-up dance mobs from Edinburgh College, and from Edinburgh Fringe Festival street performers to North Edinburgh Arts for all things arts and crafts. 

North Edinburgh Arts and Imaginate have once again collaborated creating commissioned performances that will be performed by local children and young people from the North Edinburgh Youth Arts Collective.

As well as running their jam packed arts and crafts tent for families; their Art for Grown Ups, Arts & Dance and CREATE groups are all planning to join the festival parade en route as it passes by the Macmillan Hub. 

We’ll be hosting North Edinburgh’s very own ‘Crufts’ with our first ever ‘Scruffs’ Dog Show – with 6 categories to enter and prizes up for grabs including North Edinburgh’s waggiest tail!

This is hosted by Audrey Coltart of Branniffmhor Cockers, a seasoned professional in dog competitions, and a respected judge!

Whatever your interest, we’ve got it all!

The festival remains free to attend, with 90% of activities free of charge, ensuring accessibility for everyone. While food vans and items will be available for purchase, the festival aims to keep costs low for attendees.

Key Projects Spotlight

The North Edinburgh Community Festival will feature three major projects that celebrate local food, culture, diversity and artistic expression:

THE TATTIE PROJECT

  • Celebrating the humble potato, this collaborative initiative includes over 10 local organisations such as Lauriston Farm and R2. Residents will engage in activities like growing, harvesting, cooking, and distributing potatoes.
  • In the food demonstration tent, six local home cooks will share potato recipes from their cultures, highlighting the diversity of local cuisine.
  • Scran Academy and Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts will serve up 2,000 free hot baked potatoes with toppings, ensuring everyone gets a delicious taste of this staple food.
  • While we regret the absence of RRT this year due to budget cuts, we remain grateful for the 5,000 free meals they’ve provided at past festivals.

THE NORTH EDINBURGH COMMUNITY CHOIR

A festival legacy project, the choir unites over 100 young people from Pirniehall, St. David’s, Forthview and Craigroyston Primary Schools and Craigroyston High School as well as Tinderbox Music Club to perform at the festival.

Earlier this year, these students had the opportunity to perform with international megastar Ed Sheeran alongside Tinderbox Orchestra at the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre. Their performance will include his hit song, Bad Habits!

THE FESTIVAL PARADE

Pulse of the Place, Edinburgh Carnival and Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival leads the way with the festival’s largest and most colourful parade yet.

Featuring vibrant costumes, masks, and performances, the parade will embody the theme of rainbows.

Starting at North Edinburgh Childcare, it’s a 1-mile journey into West Pilton Park. The parade departs NEC at 1030am and will reach the park at 12noon to kick off the festivities.

Expect up to 12 dance groups to bring the vibe.

Over 200 families and groups will participate including Oaklands School, LACAE and North Edinburgh Childcare.

Parade participants are welcome to join at the start or en route.

Entertainment Across Three Stages

This year, the festival will feature three unique stages:

  • Main Stage: Showcasing local community music groups and organisations such as Fischy Music, Ama-zing Harmonies, Tinderbox Tuesday Hub, Rhythms of India and Edinburgh Ukrainian Choir
  • Indoor Stage – North by North West: A platform for emerging young singers and bands including All the Wrong People, The Clamz, Bows and Bridges and Abigail Kerner
  • Carnival Stage: Hosting parade participants’ dazzling live performances including Passion 4 Fusion, Street Mash, Sol de Peru and Angie Disney’s Silent Disco!

The North Edinburgh Community Festival is a celebration of collaboration, creativity, and community spirit. Whether you’re attending for the music, activities, food, or simply to soak in the vibrant atmosphere, this event has something for everyone.

Join Us

When: Saturday, 17th May, 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Where: West Pilton Park, Edinburgh
Cost: Free entry

Mark your calendars, bring your friends and family, and experience the magic of the North Edinburgh Community Festival! We can’t wait to see you there!

Scenic family homes come to market amid ‘phenomenal’ interest

Househunters urged to book viewing slots as early as possible for sought-after location

THE newest chapter at one of Edinburgh’s most in-demand residential developments is opening, as a new collection of high-spec family homes are now welcoming viewings.

Riverside Road and Primrose Drive mark an important phase in the transformation at Craigiehall Meadows, where the once abandoned home of the British army, is fast becoming a flourishing community.

Launching on May 3, the development will welcome viewings by appointment, offering buyers a first look at the new, spacious, family-focused homes on offer in one of the capital’s most desirable settings.

Tzana Webster, Head of Estate Agency at Ralph Sayer, said: “The appetite for Craigiehall Meadows has been nothing short of phenomenal, and we’re thrilled that Hillside is now almost completely sold out, just months after launch.

“We’ve seen demand from a broad range of buyers, but at its heart, the demand comes down to this just being an exceptional place to live, with high-quality homes set in a beautiful setting surrounded by nature.

“In this next phase, we’re offering exactly what many families are searching for, spacious homes at a highly competitive price.

“Riverside Road and Primrose Drive represent the next step up, larger homes with room to grow, and we fully expect interest to soar as buyers see what’s coming next.”

The launch follows the runaway success of Hillside Road, where 26 semi-detached homes were snapped up at an astonishing rate, with just a small number remaining available.

Riverside Road will feature 27 detached homes, comprising 21 four-bedroom and 6 five-bedroom properties.

Buyers can choose from a range of distinctive styles: Holly, Hazel, Oak, and Yew for the four-bedroom homes, and Pine and Alder for the five-bedroom homes, with prices ranging from £550,000 to £600,000. 

Every home has been thoughtfully designed to provide generous space with beautiful, landscaped gardens, quality finishes and modern, energy-efficient features that cater to the needs of growing families.

A short walk away, Primrose Drive will feature eight substantial five-bedroom homes, each of the same luxurious Willow style with prices ranging from £565,000 to £575,000.

These expansive properties will include garages, spacious kitchens and generous living areas and bedrooms all set along a quiet, tree-lined avenue designed to offer privacy and space.

Tzana added: “The show homes give buyers their first chance to truly visualise what life at Riverside Road and Primrose Drive could be like.

“These homes have been meticulously planned with modern family lifestyles in mind. From the modern finishes to spacious gardens, every detail has been considered, and we expect viewing slots to fill very quickly.

“It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since work started on site. The transformation has been nothing short of incredible.

“Hillside is now bustling with new residents and it’s already feeling like a proper community. Seeing families move in, kids playing outside, and people walking their dogs through what was once a closed-off site, it’s a brilliant turnaround.

“There’s a real buzz around the place now and it’s fantastic to see the area thriving again.”

Set against a backdrop of mature woodlands and tracing the banks of the River Almond, Craigiehall Meadows enjoys a rare combination of tranquillity and connectivity.

Just minutes from Cammo, Cramond and Dalmeny, it offers families the chance to enjoy a semi-rural lifestyle while remaining well-linked to the capital.

Once the site of the Scottish Army Headquarters, Craigiehall has played a significant role in modern history.

First established in 1939 to house military families, it was instrumental in operations following the German surrender in Norway in 1945 and remained an active base for regiments including The Black Watch until its closure in 2019.

During a recent visit, local MSP and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton praised the transformation, saying: “What I love about the Craigiehall Meadows development is that they are lovingly restoring 1960s housing to the highest specification possible, so that they’ll have a new lease of life where families will enjoy them for decades to come.”

Viewings are strictly by appointment and now open for the Riverside Road and Primrose Drive show home, with appointments available on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 May.

Those interested are encouraged to contact Ralph Sayer on 0131 225 5567 or property@ralphsayer.com to secure a slot, early booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment.

Universal Credit change ‘brings £420 boost to over a million households’

More than one million households struggling with debt will get to keep an average £420 more of their benefits each year, under a change to Universal Credit coming into force today

  • Around 1.2 million of the poorest households – including 700,000 with children – will keep an extra £420 a year on average, due to Universal Credit change.
  • New Fair Repayment Rate – which comes into force today – caps Universal Credit deductions at 15%, down from 25%.
  • Comes as part of the Government’s Plan for Change to make working people better off by helping them into jobs and extending support for low-income families.

More than one million households struggling with debt will get to keep an average £420 more of their benefits each year, under a change to Universal Credit coming into force today [Wednesday 30 April 2025].

The Fair Repayment Rate places a limit on how much people in debt can have taken off their benefits to pay what they owe. The maximum amount that can be taken from someone’s Universal Credit standard allowance payment to repay debt has been 25% – but from today this is reduced to 15%.

This will mean an average £420 extra a year for 1.2 million of the poorest households, including 700,000 households with children, while helping people to pay down their debts in a sustainable way.

It forms part of the Government’s Plan for Change to put more money into people’s pockets and boost living standards and marks the Government’s first step in a wider review of Universal Credit to ensure it is still doing its job.

The Fair Repayment Rate was introduced by the Chancellor at the Autumn Budget, as part of broader efforts to raise living standards, combat poverty, and tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “As announced at the budget, from today, 1.2 million households will keep more of their Universal Credit and will be on average £420 better off a year.

This is our plan for change delivering, easing the cost of living and putting more money into the pockets of working people.

“With as many as 2.8 million households seeing deductions made to their Universal Credit award to pay off debt each month, the new rate is designed to ensure money is repaid where it is owed, and people can still cover their day-to-day needs.”

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “As part of our Plan for Change, we are taking decisive action to ensure working people keep more of the benefits they’re entitled to – which will boost financial security and improve living standards up and down the country.

“We’re delivering meaningful change to ensure everyone has a fair chance, the support they need, and real hope for the future.”

The Fair Repayment Rate is one of a number of bold measures the Government is taking as part of its Plan for Change to kickstart growth and spread prosperity across the country.

Viewing work as a key route out of poverty, the Government set out the Get Britain Working White Paper – aiming to achieve its target 80% employment rate by overhauling Jobcentres, introducing a new jobs and careers service, and launching a youth guarantee so every young person is earning or learning.

This comes on top of increasing the National Minimum and National Living Wage to ensure being in work pays.

To support those in greatest need, the Household Support Fund has been extended another year – backed by £742 million, so local councils can continue to support low-income households with energy bills, food and essential items, while also funding long-term solutions, like home insulation, to help people at risk of falling into poverty.

The Government is also working to tackle child poverty, rolling out free breakfast clubs in all primary schools in England as the dedicated ministerial taskforce builds its ambitious strategy to ensure every child has the best start in life.

Additional information:

  • The change will be applied to all assessment periods that start on or after 30 April.
  • The 15% deductions cap continues to support customers to repay their debts at a sustainable rate.