Re-think on Winter Fuel Payment cuts?
- National Pensioners Convention
- May 6
- 2 min read
The government has a golden opportunity to re-think their devastating cuts to the universal Winter Fuel Payments following last week’s local elections.
Media reports* suggest Ministers may re-consider - if not actually reverse - the decision to axe energy bill help for ten million older people after their party’s performance in the recent polls in England.
While no formal review has been confirmed, the NPC says the government does need to take action if they are to earn back the trust of the nation’s disillusioned older generation.
Jan Shortt, NPC General Secretary, said: “It is never too late to put right a wrong decision. In fact, the government have much to gain in terms of trust if they acknowledge they took a wrong turn in cutting universal winter fuel payments.
There is no doubt they lost the respect of many older voters after the cuts left millions having to choose between paying to heat their homes or eating this winter.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC** today that many voters "aren't happy" with the cuts, and admitted it had "come up on the doorstep" during campaigning for the local elections.
Commenting, Jan Shortt said: “The government should take the chance to right a wrong and prove they have the welfare of the oldest and most vulnerable at heart.”
Ministers have an opportunity to re-think the disastrous WFP cuts
“Despite the government’s much vaunted Triple Lock increase in the state pension in April, the rising cost of living, and exorbitant energy and other household bills have wiped out any financial benefit from the rise. Older people feel they are no better off after the pension increase, and many say they are worse off because the threshold for starting to pay income tax has not risen in line with inflation, so many are now paying tax too.”
Financial commentator Martin Lewis*** has posted that the government may choose to re-think the cuts by raising the eligibility threshold for Pension Credit from £11,500, which would be welcome. But as he pointed out ‘it still doesn't fix the worst underlying problem of the means testing mechanism (i.e. to get it you must claim Pension Credit).’
Jan commented: “We agree with Martin Lewis. Around 700,000 of the most vulnerable pensioners, already earning under £11,500, don't get Winter Fuel Payments because they are unable to, or don’t want to go through the overly complex process of claiming Pension Credit. This means they miss out on important support like Winter Fuel Payments.
“The government must stop looking at how they can make savings by cutting support for other vital benefits or projects and concentrate on how they can tax wealth to invest in the economy and make a real difference to people who are struggling.”
