Northamptonshire council asked to stand against Government's Winter Fuel Payment cuts
Conservative councillors at a Northamptonshire authority have proposed a motion to stand against the Government's Winter Fuel Payment cuts and attempt to offer a helping hand to elderly residents over the colder months.
Proposed by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) leader Adam Brown, the motion, which will be heard at full council on Thursday (September 26), suggests as many as 64,000 pensioners could be affected by the cuts in West Northants.
The new Labour Government won a vote to cut back on payments and make the benefit means-tested at the beginning of September. It was previously available for all pensioners to claim to help with high energy costs during the colder months.
Read more: The Northamptonshire area with the most people still entitled to claim Winter Fuel Payments
Now, it is estimated that millions of pensioners will lose the payments.
The Conservative motion reads: "While there will be pensioners among that number for whom the Winter Fuel Payment is not a financial necessity, this will push many others towards making dire financial choices this coming winter, a risk highlighted by charities as well as campaigners such as Martin Lewis.
"Age UK is clear, 'Cutting the Winter Fuel Payment this winter, with virtually no notice and no compensatory measures to protect poor and vulnerable pensioners, is the wrong decision'.”
The poorest residents across the country will still be entitled to the benefit- including those on Pension Credit. More than 6,300 people in West Northants claim this and therefore should automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payments.
According to the Government, pensioners will get a letter in October or November telling them how much payment they will get, if they are eligible. The benefit is worth £200 or £300 depending on age and will be paid in November or December.
The WNC Conservative Group will ask the council to "formally stand against the government’s decision, in support of our elderly residents in need".
It has also asked the local authority to make pensioner poverty a priority of the Council’s anti-poverty working group, enhance the promotion of warm spaces and launch more in under-served communities this winter, and advertise the locations of food banks and community larders to elderly residents.
The Group has also asked to continue to raise awareness of Pension Credit, the eligibility, and how to apply. The government believes there are around 880,000 people across the UK who may be eligible but are not claiming it.