Hundreds of people in Cambridgeshire call for Winter Fuel Payment changes to be reversed

Hundreds of Cambridgeshire residents have joined calls for changes to the Winter Fuel Payment to be reversed. The Labour government changed who was eligible for the payment after winning the general election in July.

Previously, all pensioners received the Winter Fuel Payment automatically. This year, the benefit of either £200 or £300 will only be paid to people who receive Pension Credit or certain other means-tested benefits.

To be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment this year, you must have been born before September 23, 1958, according to the government. You must also live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and get one of the following:

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• Pension Credit;

• Universal Credit;

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA);

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA);

• Income Support;

• Child Tax Credit;

• Working Tax Credit.

The changes in eligibility have been controversial, with many concerned about the impact on pensioners. A petition to the government calling for the changes to be reversed has received 20,122 signatures as of Saturday (November 16).

The petition, created by Michael Brian Anderson, said: "We want the Government to restore the Winter Fuel Payment to how it was paid last winter immediately. We are concerned that pensioners could die if MPs do not act, and that the NHS could be under more pressure."

A total of 221 people from Cambridgeshire have signed the petition. A breakdown of signatures by constituency is as follows:

• Cambridge – 17 signatures;

• South Cambridgeshire – 29 signatures;

• St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire – 37 signatures;

• Ely and East Cambridgeshire – 25 signatures;

• North East Cambridgeshire – 43 signatures;

• Peterborough – 35 signatures;

• North West Cambridgeshire – 35 signatures.

The government responds to all petitions that get more than 10,000 signatures. At 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.