The SNP has called on Labour to back next week’s budget following the announcement of a new universal winter payment for pensioners.

Details of the new payout were unveiled on Thursday, with Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville telling MSPs that every pensioner household in Scotland would get the pay out of £100.

She said the new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment — to come in from next year — would be tapered with those on a qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, getting £200 or £300, depending on their age.

It followed the decision of Chancellor Rachel Reeves to change the Winter Fuel Payment from being a universal benefit to being very specifically targeted at the poorest pensioners. 

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John Swinney’s party is three seats short of a majority in Holyrood and needs the support of opposition MSPs to get its budget bill.

Earlier this month, Anas Sarwar had suggested a similar tapered replacement for the winter fuel payment to the one announced by the SNP. He had promised to bring it in if elected after the 2026 Holyrood elections.

SNP MSP George Adam said Labour MSP had “the opportunity to show that they support Scotland’s pensioners by voting in support of the new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in next week’s Budget.”

He added: “The SNP will always put the interests of the people of Scotland first and will stand up for Scotland’s pensioners when Westminster governments fail to do so.”

(Image: Andrew Milligan/PA)

Replying; Scottish Labour's social justice spokesperson Paul O’Kane said: “Scottish Labour supports an increase in winter fuel support but it will take more than one payment to paper over the cracks created by 17 years of SNP failure.

“Year after year SNP financial chaos and waste has hurt the worst off – this Budget must deliver a genuine change in direction. “

Liz Smith, the Tory social justice spokesperson, accused the SNP of having a "brass neck". 

She said: "The desperate bid to talk up this payment as a full re-instatement of the Winter Fuel Payment simply won’t wash with pensioners who know they will have less assistance coming this winter. This new plan means a cut for many of them.

“The SNP clearly thinks it can take our pensioners for fools. They won’t forget that the SNP shamefully followed Labour’s lead in cutting winter fuel payment in the first place.”

Chris McEleny, the general secretary of the Alba Party, said: "Alba Party have always supported universal entitlement to a winter fuel payment. We supported it when the UK Labour Government axed it and we supported it when the SNP Scottish Government decided to axe it."

Meanwhile, Eileen Cawley from the Scottish Pensioners’ Forum told The Herald that while the new payment from the Scottish Government was very welcomed she was worried that it would not kick in until next year.

She wondered if ministers could look at some sort of “relief fund” to “bridge the gap.”

“If there is any measure whatsoever that they could use in the budget to help older people this winter, it would be really greatly appreciated.

“I definitely think if they could put something in place it would have an effect on social care and the health service.

“There are going to be more and more older people needing those services, and more and more people are going to die. And that's the stark reality.

“So any measure that you can put in place this year would be very, very welcome.”

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In July, Rachel Reeves announced a cut to the Winter Fuel Payment to pensioners in England and Wales as part of her plan to tackle a £22 billion black hole in the public finances.

Instead of all pensioners receiving the annual payout, it only went to those on pension credit.

At the time, SNP ministers said the change left them with a £160 million funding shortfall for their own equivalent devolved benefit, which was due to start this year.

They said they had little choice but to follow suit.

However, in her statement on Thursday, Ms Somerville said they would now "re-instate" a universal payment from next year.

“We have not taken this decision lightly, given the significant pressures on the Scottish Government’s budget," she told MSPs.

"But this Scottish Government is determined to stay true to our values.

“On our watch, we will treat people in this country with fairness, dignity and respect.

“We will not abandon older people this winter, or indeed any winter, and we will continue to protect our pensioners from the harsh reality of a UK Labour Government.”

Ms Somerville also announced a £41m package of support for people struggling with energy costs this winter, including an additional £20m for the Scottish Welfare Fund, which is administered by local councils.