Lib Dems call for pensioners’ winter fuel payments to be retained

Martin Shipton

Wales’ only Liberal Democrat MP has backed a motion by his party in Westminster to block UK Labour Government plans to scrap Winter Fuel Payments for most pensioners.

David Chadwick, the MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, hopes his party’s leader Sir Ed Davey is successful in a bid to force a Commons vote on the issue within two weeks of the start of the new session on September 2.

It comes as a new analysis shows an estimated 543,372 pensioners across Wales are at risk of losing the £300 payment, which helps with heating bills in the cold winter months.

This is the estimated number of pensioners in Wales who don’t receive pension credit, and so will lose the winter fuel allowance under the UK Government’s plans unless they receive other benefits. The figures were compiled by the House of Commons Library based on data from the Department of Work and Pensions.

If passed, the Liberal Democrat motion would protect local pensioners by blocking the Labour Government’s changes and restoring their Winter Fuel Payments. It has been backed by all 72 Liberal Democrat MPs.

Across the UK, 11 million pensioners are set to lose their Winter Fuel Payment under the government’s plans, including two million that the charity Age UK has said will struggle to afford their energy bills as a result. This is despite the average energy bill being set to rise by £149 a year from October.

Think again

The Liberal Democrats are urging the UK Government to think again to protect poorer and more vulnerable pensioners from being forced to choose between eating and heating this winter.

Mr Chadwick, who is also deputy leader of the Welsh Lib Dems, said: “I’ve heard from countless pensioners across my own constituency and more widely across Wales who are worried about losing this vital support and how they will afford their energy bills this winter.

“Stripping support from many of the poorest pensioners just when energy bills are set to rise again is simply wrong. It could force vulnerable elderly people in our community to choose between eating and heating this winter.

“This is especially the case when Wales continues to have a very poorly insulated housing stock and Government programmes to improve insulation are being rolled out so slowly.

“I recognise that the new government faces difficult choices after the appalling economic mess that has been left by the Conservatives. But a rethink is urgently needed so that poorer and vulnerable pensioners in our community continue to get the support they so desperately need.”

Pension Credit

Under the UK Government’s changes, only those pensioners who receive pension credit or other means-tested benefits will still get the £300 winter fuel allowance towards the cost of their energy bills.

The estimated number of state pensioners not receiving pension credit by constituency: Aberafan Maesteg, 14,847; Alyn and Deeside, 17,020; Bangor Aberconwy, 18,036; Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, 14,431; Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, 21,193; Bridgend, 16,862; Caerfyrddin, 20,577; Caerphilly, 15,496; Cardiff East, 12,062; Cardiff North, 15,642; Cardiff South and Penarth, 11,096; Cardiff West, 13,684; Ceredigion Preseli, 21,335; Clwyd East, 20,975; Clwyd North, 19,930; Dwyfor Meirionnydd, 19,682; Gower, 20,393; Llanelli, 17,108; Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, 15,497; Mid and South Pembrokeshire, 21,146; Monmouthshire, 21,129; Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, 19,670; Neath and Swansea East, 16,065; Newport East, 13,959; Newport West and Islwyn, 16,612; Pontypridd, 14,463; Rhondda and Ogmore, 15,208; Swansea West, 13,741; Torfaen, 15,578; Vale of Glamorgan, 17,291; Wrexham, 16,701; Ynys Mon, 14,943.

Sir Ed Davey said: “I don’t think the way to balance the books is to take away this crucial support for millions of pensioners, just as we’re going into winter when fuel bills are going up.” He said there were “other choices” available to balance the books, and his party would support getting the “very wealthiest in our country to pay more” to fund investment in public services.

Asked whether he accepted that some pensioners did not need the winter fuel payment, he said: “I think we’ve got to focus on the millions of people who do need this.”

The Conservatives, who have already submitted their own motion calling for a Commons debate and vote, also oppose the scrapping of universal winter fuel payments to pensioners.

They have called for cheap, non-renewable energy to be prioritised over “reckless net zero targets” to help struggling families this winter.

Black hole

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has defended her decision to scrap winter fuel payments for those not claiming benefits.

She told the BBC she had found a “black hole” in the public finances and “had to act” to “fix the mess”.

Ms Reeves has accused the previous government and former chancellor Jeremy Hunt of hiding a massive shortfall in public money, which Mr Hunt has strongly denied.

Ms Reeves said she had been forced to make “tough decisions” after the government said it had uncovered a £22bn hole in the public finances.

One of the decisions she announced was that pensioners in England and Wales not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer get winter fuel payments worth £300.