The Reform MP for Clacton, Nigel Farage, has slammed the Winter Fuel Allowance being withdrawn from all pensioners as a “terrible mistake”.
Nigel Farage slammed Rachel Reeves’ winter fuel allowance cut (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage has offered a simple 13-word solution to Rachel Reeves’ hated winter fuel cuts.
The Reform MP for Clacton has slammed the Winter Fuel Allowance being withdrawn from all pensioners as a “terrible mistake”.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves announced that starting this winter, the payment will only go to those receiving pension credit or other means-tested benefits.
Speaking at Reform’s “law and order” press conference, Farage said: “Well, they made a terrible mistake, haven’t they? I mean, they’ve alienated there are 10 million people going to lose the winter fuel allowance.
He just took 13 words to give his solution: “Why can’t we link winter fuel payment to what tax rate you pay?”
Rachel Reeves’ winter fuel allowance cuts have been unpopular (Image: Getty)
Farage added: “So that wealthy pensioners would be taken out of the system via that method, I have no idea.”
The Reform leader described how energy prices in the UK rising will make the cuts even worse for pensioners.
He said: “And it’s worth remembering that we are paying our pensioners, all of us, including our manufacturers. We have the most expensive energy prices in the world.
“Our electricity prices are 74 per cent higher than America’s, 33 per cent higher than our next door neighbours in France.
“So we’re doing this to a group of people nearly all living on very limited fixed incomes at a time when bills are sky high anyway, let alone what the implications for gas and oil prices might be as a result of what is going on in the Middle East.”
More than one in four (27 percent) pensioners set to be hit by the axing of the allowance are over the age of 80, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Dennis Reed, the director of the Silver Voices campaign group, said: “The scrapping of the winter fuel payment must rank as one of the most disgraceful and immoral decisions ever taken by a Labour Government.
“They are very disturbing figures. It shows that those most in need of the winter fuel payments are going to be clobbered by this policy.
“The universal payment was £300 for everybody over 80 and that higher payment recognised the fact that if you’re over 80 you’re much more likely to suffer very badly from the cold.”
