Shona Robison unable to say how many Scots will lose out on Winter Fuel Payment

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Shona Robison has been unable to say how many Scots will miss out as a result of the Winter Fuel Payment becoming means-tested.The Finance Secretary said she "doesn't have that number to hand" when quizzed on BBC Good Morning Scotland today.The Scottish Government was due to launch a replacement benefit - the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) - this winter.But Robison said today she wants the UK Government to continue to deliver the payment this winter before Social Security Scotland takes control next year.It comes after Scottish Government announced yesterday the heating benefit will no longer be paid to all older Scots, following a similar move by Westminster.When asked on Thursday morning how many Scots pensioners will miss out on the benefit, Robison said: "First of all let me say this."That is not a decision that we took lightly.

It's a decision that we would not have wanted to make because essentially we were at an advanced stage of delivering that Winter Fuel Payment on a universal basis."But unfortunately when £160 million is taken out or removed, up to £160m, from us, we had no choice other than to follow the UK Government in terms of the means tested benefit."When pushed on how many pensioners will no longer qualify, Robison said: "I don't have that number to hand but I know a lot of pensioners will no longer qualify."When asked how much money would be saved, Robison replied: "Well it's £160m that we would have expected to get that we would have spent on that universal provision."Because we do not have that £160m, the policy will remain the same and what we're asking is that, essentially it is delivered by the UK Government this winter and then we will manage a very similar benefit the following