The government has a golden opportunity to re-think their devastating cuts to the universal winter fuel payments following the recent 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 needs 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 has much to gain in terms of trust if they acknowledge they took a wrong turn in cutting universal WFPs.
“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 eat during winter.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC that many voters “aren’t happy” with the cuts, and admitted it had “come up on the doorstep” during campaigning for the recent local elections.
Ms Shortt added: “The government should take the chance to right a wrong and prove they have the welfare of the oldest and most vulnerable at heart.
“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 tax has not risen in line with inflation, so many are now paying tax too.”
Financial commentator Martin Lewis has said the government may choose to re-think the cuts by raising the eligibility threshold for Pension Credit from £11,500.
But as he pointed out, it still doesn’t fix the underlying problem of the means testing mechanism (i.e. to you must claim Pension Credit).
Around 700,000 of the most vulnerable pensioners, earning under £11,500, don’t get winter fuel payments because the 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 WFP.
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.
Rodney Sadd
Crowland
