Tag: Scottish Government

More than 1.5 million winter heating payments made

Scotland benefits from unique package of winter heating help

Over 1.5 million winter heating payments, including more than a million payments to older people, have been made so far this winter.

The vast majority of Pension Age Winter Heating Payments – more than 1,009,000 – have now been paid. The payment has replaced the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland and is paid at a higher rate than elsewhere in the UK.

The benefit, delivered by Social Security Scotland for the first time this winter, is designed to help people aged 66 and over with the cost of heating a home in the colder winter months.

Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is just one element of the unique package of winter support available in Scotland.

Child Winter Heating Payment supports families caring for children with the highest disability support needs. Over 44,000 payments have now been made.

Winter Heating Payment is a reliable, annual payment that is not triggered by weather. People can get the payment if they receive certain benefits, with over 454,500 payments made this winter so far.

Social Security Scotland’s winter payments are issued automatically in most cases.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “As the cost of heating homes continues to rise, I’m incredibly proud of the extra support which we’ve made available this winter, with over 1.5 million payments made in total.

“Our package of winter heating support, which is stronger than anywhere else in the UK, provides the helping hand that many families and individuals need to manage their bills in the winter – without waiting for temperatures to hit a certain level.”

Lynn Campbell, senior welfare rights lead at Glasgow’s Golden Generation, a charity supporting older adults in the city, said: “Pension Age Winter Heating Payment means a great deal to many older adults. It will help alleviate the stress and worry associated with rising heating costs.

“This additional financial assistance provides reassurance to them, their families, and their carers that they have not been forgotten and that their past contribution to society is recognised and valued.”

Health: Scotland’s long waits reduce for 7 months in a row

Up to £20 million made available to boards to boost progress

Waiting lists continue to fall in Scotland with waits over 52 weeks reducing for 7 months in a row.

New figures from Public Health Scotland show at 31 December 2025 new outpatient waits of more than 52 weeks had reduced by 15.4% when compared to November 2025. These waits have reduced every month since July 2025 with total waits over 52 weeks down by 40.1% in that period.

The data also shows long waits for inpatient and daycase procedures have fallen every month since July 2025, with 52 week waits decreasing by 23.9% in that period.

New operation statistics also show an increase in activity in the last year – between January 2025 and December 2025 the number of operations carried out increased by 5.6% compared to the same period the year before. A total of 274,638 procedures were carried out in this period.

To further build on this progress, extra funding of up to £20 million is being made available to health boards for the current year.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “These latest figures show our plan is delivering for the people of Scotland and our NHS has turned a corner – we are seeing sustained progress in reducing waiting times with activity also increasing compared to last year.

“Thousands more appointments, operations and procedures are being delivered this year and we are determined to continue to build on this momentum, ensuring people receive the treatment they need as soon as possible.

“We are seeing downward trends across nearly all waiting list indicators which shows our targeted investment this year is having a real impact on people’s lives. None of this would be possible without out hard-working NHS staff and I want to thank each and every one of them for the progress they are delivering.”

Additional investment for neurodevelopmental support

Increased funding to support children and families

Children, young people and their families will benefit from £3.4 million of additional investment to improve access to neurodevelopmental support.

This brings investment in neurodevelopmental supports and services this year to more than £5 million, providing earlier help for families and ensuring people can access support that meets their needs.

More than £1 million is intended to directly support families, including providing access to digital support on neurodevelopmental conditions – including autism and ADHD. A successful hub model developed in Edinburgh will also be expanded to Tayside, bringing together health, education and third sector support for families in one place.

The investment will also help improve services, including testing new approaches to neurodevelopmental assessment and ADHD support for young adults.

Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing Tom Arthur said: “I am determined to drive real, meaningful improvements and deliver the best possible outcomes for neurodivergent people. Demand for neurodevelopmental support and diagnosis has increased significantly in recent years, both in Scotland and globally.

“This additional £3.4 million will improve the help available to families – providing better information, practical support and access to services in their communities. This funding will create the groundwork for additional investment in the future – as proposed in our Budget for next year. 

“We want to ensure that children, young people and their families can access the support they need, regardless of where they are on their neurodevelopmental journey.

“A diagnosis is just one part of someone’s experience. What matters most is that people get the right support at the right time, and this funding will help make that happen.”

The investment builds on the additional £500,000 funding announced in June 2025, bringing the total additional investment to £3.9 million in 2025-26.

Funding is being made available for a range of projects, including:

  • supplementing health board assessment capacity, particularly for young people approaching transition to adult services
  • providing digital support to 1,000 families through the EPIC Think Learn platform
  • extending the Yard’s Edinburgh Disability and Neurodevelopment Hub model to Tayside, bringing together support from health, education and third sector services
  • testing holistic approaches to assessment and support with a new neurodevelopmental research clinic with the University of Glasgow
  • work to develop and test digital support tools for ADHD for young adults
  • continuing the Fife children and young people’s neurodevelopmental test of change
  • and work to better understand support needs of children and young people on health board waiting lists and assist connection of families with local support

Neurodevelopmental conditions include autism and ADHD.

Summer of Sport: Investing in sport and physical activity

Scottish Government’s additional £40 million will help people get more active

Providing free, accessible and inclusive access to sporting opportunities for Scotland’s children and young people is at the heart of targeted funding designed to capitalise on a “spectacular summer of sport”.

In June Scotland men’s national football team will compete at the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time in 28 years before the city of Glasgow hosts the 2026 Commonwealth Games, from 23 July to 2 August.

While the nation’s elite sportspeople compete on the world stage, the Scottish Government is investing an additional £40 million into the 2026-27 sport budget.

If approved by the Scottish Parliament, this will see a £20 million uplift to core funding for sporting organisations and an additional £20 million to create innovative and inspiring physical activity opportunities for young people across Scotland, including:

  • a £15 million “Summer of Sport” initiative offering free sporting activities for children and young people
  • a universal learn-to-swim offer for every primary school child in Scotland that will continue beyond 2026, backed by initial year-one investment of £2 million
  • a £2 million ‘Celebration of Football’ fund, aligned with the World Cup, using the power of Scotland’s national game to change lives through football.
  • and a £1m ‘Health in the Community’ campaign targeting areas with low activity levels to become and stay active

Health Secretary Neil Gray, following a visit to an Active Schools event at St Brigid’s Primary in Glasgow, said: “We are all looking forward to a spectacular summer of sport with our men’s football team competing at the World Cup Finals and Glasgow welcoming athletes from across the Commonwealth for the Commonwealth Games in just six months’ time.

“The ‘Summer of Sport’ programme will harness the excitement of these world class sporting events.

“The Scottish Government is offering every young person the opportunity to learn to swim, regardless of their background. This is a core life skill which will benefit so many children.

“Our investment will remove barriers for communities to access sport and will also significantly increase the core budget for sportscotland, in turn creating and sustaining opportunities for people across Scotland to be more active.

“Sport can be a force for good and by encouraging people to become and stay active, we can unlock a range of wider physical and mental wellbeing benefits that can leave a lasting impact long after the World Cup and Commonwealth Games this year.”

Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland, said: “As Scotland prepares for an extraordinary Summer of Sport, we have a unique opportunity to harness the inspiration of major events to drive longer term participation and community benefit.

“The Scottish Government’s additional £40 million investment in sport strengthens our shared ambition to widen access, support local delivery partners, and ensure people of all ages feel the physical, mental, and social benefits that sport provides.

“This funding will allow us to work with partners to build on the momentum generated by the World Cup and Commonwealth Games and to deliver a more inclusive, active Scotland for the long term.”

Scotland will play host to or co-host three of the world’s biggest sporting events over the next three years – the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Tour de France Grand Depart 2027 and EURO 2028.

Hate Crime consultation: Further protections for women and girls

Consultation responses support new hate crime regulations

Women and girls will have greater protection against hate crimes under legislation laid in the Scottish Parliament by Ministers yesterday/today.

The regulations, if agreed by MSPs, will designate ‘sex’ as a protected characteristic under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021. There are protections in the Act for individuals’ rights in respect to freedom of expression for the new stirring up hatred offences. Hate crime is behaviour that is both criminal and rooted in prejudice and can be verbal, physical, online or face-to-face.

This will make it a specific criminal offence to stir up hatred against women and girls, as well as men and boys, because of their sex. The regulations will also allow courts to treat crimes motivated by hatred of someone’s sex as aggravated offences, which are considered more serious – including when passing sentence following conviction.

A consultation was held on the draft regulations, with 309 out of 365 responses supporting adding the characteristic of sex to both the stirring up of hatred offence and the aggravation. The final regulations now laid for MSPs’ scrutiny are largely unchanged from the draft.

The change will mean that women and girls have the same legal safeguards available under the Act to groups targeted by hate crime because of their age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and variations in sex characteristics.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “These regulations will significantly strengthen legal protections for women and girls from offences motivated by prejudice and hatred because of their sex and they will ensure that Scotland’s justice system can respond appropriately.

“The changes will mean women and girls have the same protections as victims who are targeted because of a specific characteristic, such as age, religion or disability. Men and boys will also be protected, however, we know that women and girls suffer significantly more from threats, abuse and harassment based on their sex, so they are likely to benefit most from those new protections.

“The vast majority of responses received during the consultation on these proposals supported adding the characteristic of sex to both the stirring up of hatred offence and the aggravation.

“The regulations will come into force on 5 April 2027, giving Police Scotland the necessary time to update training and guidance and ensuring they are operationally ready for the change.”

Further investment in social work education

New support for workforce to improve learning opportunities

New support for social work education will be available from February, strengthening learning amongst the workforce and benefitting local social work students.

The Scottish Government is investing up to £600,000 through the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to support the sector in addressing some of the reported challenges surrounding social work education.

The investment aims to strengthen the design and delivery of social work practice education – to ensure learning opportunities match the specific needs of social work students and help increase the number of high-quality learning opportunities across Scotland.

Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise Natalie Don-Innes said: “The Scottish Government greatly values Scotland’s social workers, who do a tremendously valuable and essential job in communities across the country.

“That is why we are investing in the workforce, to enhance the experiences of the current and next generation of social workers and to address some of the reported challenges surrounding education.

“This investment demonstrates the value we place on improved professional learning support structures, recognising that a positive learning experience will both equip future social workers to develop and also support recruitment and retention.”

The funded improvements will be tested via Local Learning Partnerships (LLPs), a new model linking social work employers and education providers. This will allow areas to test curricula and make improvements based on the experiences and feedback.

SSSC Chief Executive Maree Allison said: “We’re pleased to support LLPs, strengthening the partnership working between universities and employers, which is essential to social work education.

“The financial investment in LLPs will help local areas explore new ways of working, building on existing strengths, initially by increasing the number and variety of practice learning opportunities available to students and making them more local to reduce the distance students need to travel.

“The partnerships will make sure that students, social workers in practice, employers, people with lived experience and other partners are involved in developing effective social work training and learning which meets the needs of individuals and their communities.”

Support towards funeral costs

Financial help available for people in Edinburgh paying for funerals during winter

People in Edinburgh who lose someone over the winter months are encouraged to apply for support to help with funeral costs.

Funeral Support Payment is delivered by Social Security Scotland and is available to people living in Scotland who receive certain benefits.

The payment can help cover some of the cost of a funeral and can be used towards funerals for a baby, child or adult. The payment also covers funerals for babies who are stillborn.

More than £66 million has been paid to over 33,000 bereaved people since Funeral Support Payment launched in 2019.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “A bereavement is one of the hardest things a person can experience. On top of their grief, people often face the staggering costs of paying for the funeral.

“The average price for a funeral in the UK is now well over £4,000 – this is a cost many do not have the resources to pay for.

“Funeral Support Payment is there to ease some of the financial pressure for grieving individuals and reduce funeral poverty for people in Scotland. I urge people in Edinburgh to check their eligibility to receive Funeral Support Payment.”

To find out more information on Funeral Support Payment, visit: 

https://www.mygov.scot/browse/benefits/death/funeral-support

ELIGIBILITY

People may be eligible for Funeral Support Payment if they meet all of the criteria below: 

  • they live in Scotland 
  • they or their partner are getting certain benefits or tax credits* 
  • the person who died lived in the UK 
  • the funeral is being held in the UK or in some circumstances in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and anywhere in the world outside the UK in exceptional circumstances
  • they are applying after the person has died, until 6 months after the date of their funeral 
  • they or their partner are responsible for the funeral costs 
  • it is reasonable for them or their partner to accept responsibility for the funeral costs. 

* Universal Credit (UC), Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit. 

Holyrood passes landmark Nature Restoration Bill

Legal targets to halt biodiversity loss and restore nature

The Scottish Parliament has passed the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill delivering for both nature and people with ambition at its heart and showing respect for nature, for the land and the people who steward and care for it.

For the first time statutory targets will be in place to enhance nature and protect biodiversity in Scotland.

Biodiversity is essential for sustaining the ecosystems that provide food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services. 

When set, the targets will ensure Scotland is on a bold and ambitious journey to be ‘nature positive’ by 2030 and has actively and substantially restored nature by 2045 in a way that works for communities the length and breadth of Scotland.

The Bill forms a key part of Scotland’s response to the twin crises of climate change and nature loss, and will give Ministers new powers to develop legislation relating to wildfire management, sustainable forestry management and our internationally important protected sites. 

It will also update the legal framework for National Parks – particularly in light of their leadership role in tackling key environmental and societal challenges, including the nature and climate crises. 

There will be a requirements for swift nest boxes to be placed in all new buildings, supporting urban biodiversity. Swifts are a species under significant pressure as cavity-nesting birds that historically relied on gaps and holes in older buildings for nesting sites. 

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin said: “This Bill creates the strongest statutory framework Scotland has ever had for nature recovery and is the result of constructive work across the Parliament – sending a clear message that the Scottish Parliament stands firm in our commitment to protect and restore our precious natural environment.

“Biodiversity is in crisis, both globally and at home, but Parliament’s vote to pass the Bill shows we are determined to chart a different course. This Bill commits us to becoming nature positive by 2030 and restoring our natural environment by 2045. It is vital that future generations do not inherit the consequences of inaction and, instead, inherit a legacy of commitment and hope. 

“By putting nature targets into law, we are ensuring that the government can be held to account for delivering real, measurable change. Scotland’s natural environment underpins our economy, our wellbeing and our quality of life. Protecting it is not optional – it is essential.”

Unsustainable deer populations are one of the biggest barriers to nature restoration and habitat recovery, causing overgrazing and preventing woodland regeneration. Provisions in the Bill will make it easier to control deer where they are impacting environmental work. This will help support the restoration of peatlands, regenerate forests, and protect habitats.

Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie said: “This Bill provides better tools to manage our deer populations in a way that benefits both the environment and rural communities and creates business opportunities. 

“If we want healthy communities, sustainable food production and vibrant rural industries in the future, we need thriving ecosystems today.

“We all know now more than ever we must act to protect and restore nature – this Bill will ensure that happens.

“I want to see venison at the heart of our approach to deer management, and the provisions in this Bill will help us maximise the opportunities this can bring for rural Scotland. We will continue working closely with farmers, crofters and land managers to deliver real results on the ground.” 

Record investment for climate action

£5 billion to help tackle the climate and nature emergency

Record funding of over £5 billion will support climate action and further develop Scotland’s renewable energy sector, creating green jobs and bringing benefits to communities, Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin has said.

The major investment, unveiled in the draft Scottish budget for 2026-27, will help tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss by funding policies and actions aimed at cutting green-house gas emissions further, enabling communities to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change and protecting and restoring nature.

Gillian Martin reiterated the government’s financial commitment ahead of addressing the Scottish Renewables Offshore Wind Conference where she is expected to confirm further new investment in the sector.

The £5 billion allocation for climate action in the draft Scottish Budget includes a total of £2.9 billion of capital funding– representing 41% of the Scottish Government’s total capital budget proposed for next year – and supports actions to:

  • further develop Scotland’s renewable energy sector to ensure a fair and inclusive transition that creates more jobs and opportunities
  • deliver more energy-efficient affordable homes to tackle fuel poverty and reduce energy bills
  • invest in public and active travel projects, making it safer and easier for people to choose more sustainable ways of travelling for shorter journeys

Ms Martin said: “This draft Budget for the next year demonstrates the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to achieving net zero by 2045 and tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

“Done correctly, the transition to net zero can help to tackle poverty, restore nature, and improve health and well-being all while offering significant economic opportunities.

“Our record investment of more than £5 billion will help reduce household energy costs, support green jobs, restore nature and build healthy and resilient communities through the efforts set out in our draft Climate Change Plan. 

“Offshore wind will be a major part of delivering on our climate ambitions and represents a huge economic opportunity for all of Scotland, delivering jobs and attracting major investment across the country.”

The draft 2026-27 budget also proposes: 

  • more than £335 million for heat in buildings programmes, supporting households and businesses to transition to low carbon heating systems
  • £316 million in sustainable travel, low carbon and climate positive activities to support the switch to sustainable modes of transport and promote walking, wheeling and cycling for shorter journeys
  • £26 million for nature restoration as well as £37.4 million for woodland creation and £28 million in peatland restoration, to help sequester carbon and protect habitats
  • £22 million for domestic climate change – including £6 million to continue the national network of Community Climate Action Hubs which enable communities to develop local responses to climate change from flood mitigation, repair shops and local energy generation to food growing and tree planting
  • £12 million to support vulnerable communities in the Global South who have done the least to cause the climate crisis but are feeling its effects most acutely – especially women and young people

Retail Crime Taskforce boost

Draft budget confirmed continued funding for next three years to tackle retail crime

A police-led taskforce will continue its work to tackle shoplifting and violence against staff after securing funding in the draft budget for 2026-27.

The Retail Crime Taskforce was launched in April last year following £3 million investment from the Scottish Government to combat a rise in retail crime.

In the first year of operation, the Taskforce’s targeted approach to prevent, pursue, protect and prepare in areas identified as most at risk has resulted in 3,671 shoplifting charges and detections.

A further 508 charges under the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Act 2021 for offences against retail workers have been made along with a total of 807 arrests.

The funding announcement of a continued £3 million each year for the next three years, in the Scottish Government’s recent draft budget for 2026-27, comes in addition to an overall Police Scotland budget increase to over £1.7 billion – a rise of £81.5 million, or 5%, compared to the 2025-26 Autumn Budget Revision.

Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said: “Shop workers deserve to feel safe, and retailers deserve to trade without fear of shoplifting. In less than a year, Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce has provided a visible and measurable impact on retail crime, working directly with retailers to prevent offending, pursue criminals, and protect shop workers.

“That is why the Scottish Government is providing a further £3 million in each of the next three years to continue this vital work – both preventing crime and ensuring offenders are held to account.

“This is in addition of a record £1.7 billion policing budget, enabling Police Scotland to deliver on frontline priorities and progress its transformation agenda.”

Mark Millar, Director of Stores for Boots in Scotland, said: “Tackling retail crime is a collaborative effort, so we are fully committed to working with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to ensure that our retail stores and high streets remain vibrant, welcoming, and safe environments for our store teams and customers.

“As an active member of the Retail Crime Taskforce since its inception, we welcome this funding which will strengthen our ability to share intelligence between Police and disrupt public offenders.”

Assistant Chief Constable, Police Scotland, Tim Mairs said: “Since April 2025, the Retail Crime Taskforce has assisted local policing divisions across the country in tackling retail offences and bringing those responsible to justice.

“During this time over 3,600 crimes have been detected and more than 800 arrests made as a direct result of Taskforce-supported enforcement activity. In addition, our commitment to crime prevention has seen us liaise with numerous outlets throughout Scotland to offer specialist advice aimed at improving security and enhancing the safety of retail workers.

“The additional three-year funding we have received from Scottish Government is recognition of the significant progress made in the last nine months, but we know more must be done to tackle retail crime and we will not become complacent in our efforts to reduce crimes such as shoplifting and the assault and harassment of retail workers.”