Cold snap payments scheme concern

The payout comes if temperatures fall to zero for seven days

An MP has called for a review of the way cold weather payments are made amid fears that many Scots could be missing out on the £25 benefit.

The payout is made if temperatures fall below zero for seven consecutive days.

Ochil MP Gordon Banks said a more robust approach was needed to replace the current system, which relies on data from just 24 weather stations.

He is concerned that the monitors do not accurately reflect the temperatures across much of Scotland.

In particular, Mr Banks said some of his constituents who live in inland Perthshire were reliant on data from coastal weather stations likely to record different temperatures.

The Labour MP said: "I have been receiving complaints from across my constituency from people concerned that they may be missing out on cold weather payments.

People feel the way the average temperature is calculated is not fair Age Concern

"I share these concerns that constituents in places such as Crieff and Luncarty are having their temperature recorded as far away as Leuchars, which is over 30 miles away and on the coast - therefore likely to experience much different weather and temperature."

The cold weather payments are automatically triggered by weather reports from the monitoring stations, which are run by the Meteorological Office.

Whenever the temperature at a station falls to zero or below on seven consecutive days a payment is made to people who qualify in all the postcodes associated with that station.

They are also made if the Met Office forecasts a seven day period of below freezing temperatures.

Gordon Banks said a more robust approach was needed

A spokeswoman for the Department of Work and Pensions who administer the payments, said: "We understand that within any particular area there may be some places that don't get the payment but we believe that the current arrangement is the best way to get the money to those who need it most."

Age Concern, which recently merged with Help the Aged Scotland, said more needed to be done to ensure those who needed the payment received it.

A spokeswoman for the charity said: "People feel the way the average temperature is calculated is not fair and does not correctly represent the situation they find themselves in when sustained extreme cold temperatures hit.

"It is obviously difficult to reflect specific situations but it can be an added worry to older people when temperatures are extremely cold that they may not receive financial help with the costs of extra fuel."