Guildford MP To Back Her Party’s Push for Review of Winter Fuel Payment Cut

Published on: 1 Sep, 2024
Updated on: 1 Sep, 2024

Zöe Franklin MP and the introduction to the Government’s website page on the Winter Fuel Allowance

During the summer recess, Zöe Franklin has backed a Liberal Democrat Parliamentary motion to block government plans to scrap Winter Fuel Payments for most pensioners.

According to a Lib Dem press release more than 14,500 pensioners in the Guildford constituency are at risk of losing the £300 payment this winter

Zöe Franklin MP is callings on the Government to “rethink” the cut so that vulnerable pensioners continue to get the support they need.

Her party has pointed out that many of those eligible for pension credit, the new criterion for fuel payments, do not claim it. (Readers can find out if you are eligible here: https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility.)

Ms Franklin said: “I understand that the new government will have to make some very difficult decisions after the appalling mess left by the Conservatives. But the Chancellor has got this badly wrong.

“The Government must urgently review this decision to ensure poorer and vulnerable pensioners in Guildford and our villages continue to get the help they desperately need.”

Figures compiled by the House of Commons Library using data from the Department of Work and Pensions show an estimated 14,674 pensioners in the Guildford constituency don’t receive pension credit, and so will lose the winter fuel allowance under the government’s plans, unless they receive other benefits.

The Liberal Democrat motion, backed by all 72 of the party’s MPs, will be tabled as soon as Parliament returns this week. If passed it would protect pensioners by blocking the government’s changes and restoring their winter fuel payments.

Zoe Franklin continued: “I am not opposed to means testing in principle, but the Government’s clumsy broad-brush plan leaves far too many people behind, many who would be facing severe hardship if this is implemented. The timing is awful, coming as the energy price cap is increasing by 10 per cent next month.

From the Age Concern website

“The charity Age UK has powerful and compelling ideas, showing a much fairer solution is possible. Instead of limiting winter fuel payments to those on Pension Credits, the charity says it should be paid to those on a range of other benefits, including council tax support, attendance allowance and carers’ allowance. Whatever the answer is, there must be a full debate and this policy must be urgently reviewed.”

Responses to Guildford MP To Back Her Party’s Push for Review of Winter Fuel Payment Cut

S Callanan Reply

September 2, 2024 at 9:27 am

Good for Ms Franklin. She and Dragon readers might want to know that Ofgem is holding a “blink and you’ll miss it” consultation on reducing standing charges in energy bills. It opened on August 23 and closes on September 20, just before the new price cap kicks in.

It’s at https://consult.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-supply/standing-charges-domestic-retail-options/

There’s a PDF which isn’t a terribly easy read, but maybe worth the effort since we live in a mad world in which wind farms are paid to switch off, so any impact individuals can have on the system must be worth a try.
Nathan Cassidy Reply

September 3, 2024 at 10:24 am

It’s not being cut, it is being means tested. With the public finances facing a huge black hole, largely due to increased pension costs, I don’t see why wealthy pensioners such as Alan Sugar and Alistair Campbell should be receiving free money from the government.

There was a £900 increase in the state pension this year alone as a result of the triple lock. Yet apparently pensioners can’t survive without a £300 winter fuel payment?

Pensioners benefits have been protected for the last 14 years of austerity whilst working people’s wages have been frozen and support for working families (eg Sure Start and youth centres) have been cut.

Was there a similar public outcry when grants for young people studying was cut when it was determined that we could no longer afford it?
- John Perkins Reply
  
  September 4, 2024 at 4:16 pm
  
  Is Nathan Cassidy absolutely certain there is a huge black hole in the public finances? If so, perhaps he would be good enough to point out exactly where it is. Ms. Reeves claims it was unexpected, so it cannot be in the publicly accounted pension costs.
  
  Alan Sugar and Alastair Campbell no doubt have paid, and are probably still paying, large sums in taxes for their “free money”.
  
  £900 is about £17 per week or £12 to those who will lose a third of it and is likely to be much reduced by increased Council Tax and utility bills.
  
  Favouring the young over the old only serves well if one enjoys eternal youth.
M Durant Reply

September 3, 2024 at 8:53 pm

I agree with MP Zoe Franklin a lot of pensioners are just above the threshold and would be penalised and suffer.

It also raises the question that previous governments have made it so difficult to apply for benefits (long complicated forms, stringent complex assessments done by people who are no specifically qualified to assess certain disabilities, and who can take hours to answer their phones) and that some people who have paid taxes all their life and for whatever reason lost their job, became sick and or are disabled have been struggling to get any benefits at all. I addition they can’t get a disability bus pass to get them around, or a blue badge.

A friend of mine applied for a blue badge he was refused, yet he is visibly disabled! He has paid taxes all his life.