Single Parent FAQs: Cost of living and winter support – Issue 45
10/11/2025
As the weather turns colder, many single parents worry about the cost of living crisis and how they can get support over winter. If you’re feeling anxious about winter costs, you’re not alone.
Take a look at the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the cost of living crisis and winter support
Help with fuel and heating costs
Winter Heating Payment (Scotland)
- Replaces the DWP’s Cold Weather Payment.
- Paid automatically to eligible people on certain benefits (e.g. Universal Credit, Income Support).
- A flat-rate payment of £55.05 (winter 2024/25 rate).
Find out more and how to apply to the Winter Heating Payment.
Fuel Insecurity Fund
- Emergency help for energy top-ups or heating bills.
- Delivered by partner organisations such as Advice Direct Scotland and some local authorities.
Find out more via the Energy Advice Scotland website or call 0808 196 8660
Home Energy Scotland
- Free advice on reducing energy use and improving home warmth.
- Can refer you to insulation or heating schemes if eligible.
Call 0808 808 2282 or find out more on the Home Energy Scotland website.
Help with housing costs
Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)
- Extra support if Housing Benefit or Universal Credit doesn’t cover your full rent.
- Apply via your local council (ask for the DHP team).
Scottish Welfare Fund
- Crisis Grants for emergencies and Community Care Grants for household essentials like beds, cookers, or warm clothing.
- Apply through your local council.
Clothing, food and warm spaces
- Many local areas offer free school uniform banks, warm clothing donations, food pantries or warm hubs.
- Check your local council’s cost of living support pages or ask your child’s school or health visitor about local referrals.
Festive season help
Toy banks & Christmas meal projects
- Charities and churches often run toy appeals, free festive meals or food parcels.
- Your local social work team, school, family centre, or GP may be able to refer you.
OPFS Advice & Info Service
- We can help identify local schemes or emergency support near you.
Get in touch with OPFS via our webchat.
Call our free Helpline: 0808 801 0323
Self-care during the winter months
We know how tough winter can feel, especially if you’re stretched financially. Prioritising your mental health matters too:
- Speak to your GP if you feel low, anxious or overwhelmed.
- Try NHS Scotland’s free wellbeing tools
- Or call Breathing Space: 0800 83 85 87
See our previous issues of Single Parent FAQs on:
- Help with household bills and staying warm this winter
- Work-life balance
- Back to school routine
- Summer child contact arrangements
- Supporting children with school transitions
- Managing your mental health
- Having fun on a budget
- Childcare
- Separating
- Scottish Benefits
- Child Maintenance
- Having a Baby
- Back to School
- Child contact arrangements
- Scottish benefits
- Separation
- Having a baby
- Housing options
- Child maintenance
- Child contact
- Universal Credit
- Getting back into education as a single parent
- Financial support for single parents
- Bridging payments and help for Christmas
- Social Security Scotland
- What happens when my child gets older
- Separation and divorce
- Support for students
- Domestic abuse
- When does Child Benefit stop?
- Adult Disability Payments
- Child Maintenance
- What happens when my child gets older (2)
- Cost of Living
- Summer holidays
- What happens when my child gets older
- Universal Credit Managed Migration
Remember you can submit your own question via the Ask A Question feature on our website any time and our expert advisers will respond.
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