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Parties at odds over winter fuel payments
30/08/2024
Lib Dems want to block government plans, but Banbury’s MP says it’s a tough choice, but necessary
Oxfordshire’s Liberal Democrat MPs have all backed a motion in Parliament to block government plans to scrap Winter Fuel Payments for most pensioners.
But Banbury’s Labour MP says the decision was a tough choice but a necessary one and has outlined measures being taken to protect the lowest-income pensioners.
The Liberal Democrats have pointed to a new analysis of the number of pensioners in Oxfordshire who are at risk of losing the £300 Winter Fuel Payment. This shows 17,479 people in the Banbury constituency could be affected.
The payment was originally introduced to help older people with heating bills in the cold winter months.
The Liberal Democrat motion would protect local pensioners by blocking the government’s changes and restoring their winter fuel payments. Its set to be tabled as soon as Parliament returns and has been backed by all 72 elected Liberal Democrat MPs from across the country.
A joint statement from Layla Moran, Olly Glover, Freddie Van Mierlo, Charlie Maynard and Calum Miller, said: “We’ve heard from countless pensioners across Oxfordshire worried about losing this vital support and how they will afford their energy bills this winter.
“Stripping support from many of the poorest pensioners in Oxfordshire 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.
“That is why Liberal Democrat MPs will do everything we can to block these plans as soon as Parliament returns.
“We recognise that the new government faces difficult choices after the appalling mess 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.”
Banbury’s Labour MP, Sean Woodcock, won’t be supporting the motion. He also blamed the previous Conservative administration for the state of government finances.
He told Banbury FM: “The Chancellor of the Exchequer has conducted a Spending Audit on the economic inheritance left by the Tories. It shows a forecast overspend of £22 billion above the departmental limits set by the Treasury in the Spring Budget 2024. £10m an hour of over-spending this financial year.
“The Tories knowingly overspent departmental budgets, covered it up, called an election and then ran away from the problem. We already knew things were bad – with taxes at a seventy year high and debt through the roof. But it is clear now that the Tories covered up a much bigger mess. They didn’t just keep it from the public. They even kept it from the Office for Budgetary Responsibility.
“In a letter to the Chancellor, the OBR has said it was only made aware of the extent of the overspend last month, and has committed to conducting a review into the preparation of the last forecasts.”
Mr Woodcock said this had led Labour to their decision: “The Chancellor has taken the difficult decision that those not in receipt of Pension Credit, or certain other means-tested benefits, will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment from this year onwards.
“This was a tough choice but a necessary one. The previous government made commitment after commitment without knowing where the money was going to come from, and without action the scale of the inheritance they have left us would have threatened our economic stability.”
He added that work had begun to identify pensioners who might not be claiming the support they could be entitled to: “Some low-income pensioners still aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we are increasing our work with external partners and local authorities to boost uptake and target additional support to the poorest pensioners. This would passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them.
“As MP, I have reached out to local advice centres, charities and councils to offer any support that I can in helping maximise the uptake of Pension Credit. I have also met Age UK Oxfordshire to discuss this with them.
“The Chancellor has repeated Labour’s manifesto commitment to protecting the triple lock. This will, over the next five years, mean that over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pension increase by thousands of pounds. The government is also prioritising support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will slash energy bills, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals. Our ultimate aim is to bring stability back to our economy and to people’s lives.
“Creating economic stability benefits pensioners who are on fixed incomes with little or no means to supplement their income.
“I understand the concern and the decision on the Winter Fuel Allowance is not one that we as a Labour government wanted to take or I as a Labour MP anticipated us having to.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam