More than 780,000 pensioners entitled to winter fuel payment will lose out under cuts
An estimated 780,000 pensioners still eligible to receive the Winter Fuel Payment will lose the benefit under planned cuts. This is according to the Government's own equality analysis.
In a document quietly released on Friday night, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) also said that more than two-thirds around 71 per cent of those with a disability and 83 per cent of those aged 80 or over would miss out.
Downing Street has said that a full impact assessment of the change, coming into effect this year, has not been carried out. The figures, published in response to an FOI request, are based on "equality analyses" which "are not impact assessments and not routinely published alongside secondary legislation", the DWP said.
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Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have decided to means-test the benefits, worth up to £300. They say this is necessary to help fill a "£22 billion black hole" in the public finances.
From this winter, only people on Pension Credit or certain other benefits will receive the payments, while about 10 million others are set to be stripped of the allowance. However, in its FOI response, the DWP said that while those with a disability will be disproportionately likely to retain the payment, "around 71 per cent 1.6 million of people with a disability will still lose entitlement".
And about 880,000 people currently set to lose the benefit this year are pensioners entitled to Pension Credit who have not claimed it, according to the analysis. The assessment assumes a five percentage point "loss aversion" increase in pension credit take-up, which the DWP said then cuts the number of eligible pensioners failing to claim to about 780,000.
The DWP said: "The Government has followed its legal and statutory duties ahead of introducing these changes and will continue to do so."
According to the government website, you can receive the Winter Fuel Payment this winter if you were born before September 23, 1958. It is also only available to those living in England and Wales. Furthermore, claimants must also receive payments for one of the following benefits:
Pension Credit
Universal Credit
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income Support
How much you will receive
Payment rates vary depending on when you were born as well as your circumstances during the qualifying week from September 16 to September 22, 2024. If you live alone, the following rates will apply:
£200 if you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958
£300 if you were born before 23 September 1944
If you live with someone, the following rates will apply:
£200 if both of you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958
£300 if one or both of you were born before 23 September 1944
If you live in a care home, the following rates will apply:
£200 if you were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958
£300 if you were born before 23 September 1944
Who is not eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment
You will not be able to receive the Winter Fuel Payment if one of the following apply to you:
live in Scotland
have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
were in prison for the whole of the week of 16 to 22 September 2024
were living in a care home for the whole time from 24 June to 22 September 2024
It's important to note that you can still receive the Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home. However, you will not be eligible if both of the following apply to you:
you get Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
you lived in a care home for the whole time from 24 June to 22 September 2024