The government is being called on to change its decision to axe the Winter Fuel Payment as freezing weather grips the nation.
Rachel Reeves announced the Winter Fuel Payment cut in July (Image: Getty)
The Government is being called on to make a U-turn on their decision to axe the Winter Fuel Payment as a snap of freezing weather gives Britons their “first taste of winter”, according to the Met Office.
The Winter Fuel Payment was introduced in 1997 by then-chancellor, Gordon Brown. It was intended to help older people with their heating costs during the colder months.
It is £200 to £300, depending on age, paid annually in autumn and was paid to all pensioners, irrespective of income or wealth.
But in July, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, announced that the payment would now only be given to older people who received pension credit – the very poorest pensioners.
This is expected to reduce the number who get the money from more than 11 million to about 1.5 million.
This was mainly done to save money. Reeves has made cuts to plug a £22bn hole in the government’s finances she claims was left by the Conservatives, a deficit she says had not been anticipated. Limiting the winter fuel payment will save about £1.5bn a year.
This proved controversial, being very heavily criticised by charities representing older people, and by a series of trade unions. It is also opposed by the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Scottish National party.
The Prime Minister said government was committed to the pension “triple lock” which would increase by £460 next year. “That means pensioners under Labour will be better off because we are going to stabilise the economy after that lot lost control of it,” he said.
The axing of the Winter Fuel Payment has encouraged pensioners to apply for Pension Credit, a historically under-claimed Department for Work and Pensions benefit.
In the five weeks after Reeves’ announcement, the number of poorer pensioners applying for the benefit more than doubled, with 38,500 new applications.
This represents a 115% increase in potential claimants, many of whom will get weekly pension payments under £218.15 if they are single, or £332.95 for couples.
Pensioners can still get a Winter Fuel Payment if they were born before 23 September 1958. They must also live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit.
