EXCLUSIVE: They say Keir Starmer’s party is ‘devoid of Christmas cheer’ amid concerns that ministers have changed their attitude towards the elderly
Keir Starmer (Image: Getty)
Pensioner fury over Labour’s winter fuel payment grab has reignited after a Cabinet minister admitted the decision was targeted to help balance the government’s books.
In a letter to campaigners, pensions minister Emma Reynolds said the policy change was “targeted to bring the public finances back under control”.
But her 2000-word missive fails to explain why scrapping the payment was the government’s “number one priority” with the decision being announced just weeks after Sir Keir Starmer’s party came to power in the summer.
Dennis Reed said the letter, which was sent in response to a petition calling on the government to protect older people this winter, shows the government has changed its attitude towards older people in the UK.
The Daily Express ‘Save the Winter Fuel Duty Petition’ was handed into 10 Downing Street today ahead (Image: © Nigel Howard / NIGEL HOWARD MEDIA)
Mr Reed, the Director of Silver Voices campaign group for the elderly, said “This Government response to the 150,000 signatories to our petition is devoid of Christmas Cheer.
“In fact, the refusal to acknowledge that millions of older people are struggling with their energy and food bills this winter, the ongoing threats to the value of the state pension by taxation, and the threats of means-testing other benefits, represents an aggressive agenda to target pensioners for further savings.
“Our work will be cut out in 2025 to defend older people from a strong anti-pensioner attitude emanating from the Cabinet Office and Treasury”.
The Daily Express has been campaigning for a U-turn on the axing of winter fuel payments for most pensioners.
In her correspondence Ms Reynolds spells out why the changes were made.
“In face of the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices, including targeting the Winter Fuel Payment, to bring the public finances back under control,” she said.
“This decision means that the Winter Fuel Payment will be targeted to low-income pensioners who need it.
“Despite this very difficult decision, we are determined to protect the poorest pensioners and target support to those in greatest need. Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits.
“They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80. “
It comes as Ms Reynolds insisted the government won’t reverse to means-test payment amid warnings by Labour backbenchers about its impact.
She told the Commons: “We won’t reconsider that decision because in a very tight fiscal environment when we inherited a £22 billion black hole from the party opposite, we had to take some very tough decisions.”
She added that 880,000 pensioners who had been eligible for the benefit payment did not get it, and that the Government had written to 120,000 pensioners on housing benefit urging them to apply.
About 11.6 million people in just over eight million households in Britain were due to receive the benefit this winter, Government figures show. The changes will affect about 10 million pensioners.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said: “With just days to go until the deadline to get winter fuel payments Labour Ministers are showing no remorse for forcing thousands of pensioners to choose between heating and eating.
“You know the Labour Government is in trouble when they use their fictitious black hole to justify cruel decisions. Labour should be straight with people – they made the choice to cut winter fuel payments while bumping up the pay for train drivers and unions.
“Worse still, pensioners who do manage to sign up will still have to wait months for payments. With hundreds of thousands of the poorest pensioners left in the cold this Christmas, Labour’s policy is as incompetent as it is cruel.”
Ministers said those who were close to the threshold of having an income of more than £218.15 a week should instead apply for pension credit. Those eligible need to apply before Saturday to qualify this year.
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