Pensioners in fear over how to survive winter after Labour’s fuel payment cuts

Labour‘s winter fuel payment cuts are causing pensioners fear over how they will survive this winter, according to a new report.

The People’s Health Trust found that the policy is sparking concern for the health of older people forced to choose between heating and eating.

The health equity charity is urging Chancellor Rachel Reeves to U-turn on the controversial plan to strip most OAPs of the allowance.

It comes as Reform MP Lee Anderson has accused Labour of a “shameful betrayal” of pensioners with the change.

John Hume, chief executive of the People’s Health Trust, said: “Too many older people experiencing disadvantage are already living with energy debt and fuel poverty, forcing them into unacceptable decisions about switching on the heating for an hour or buying food.

“These are decisions no one should have to make, with implications that seriously impact their health and shorten their lives.

“We have heard from communities that older people simply don’t know how they’re going to survive the winter without the winter fuel payment.

“For many people two or three hundred pounds may not seem like a lot of money – for older people living in poverty, it can quite literally be a lifeline.

“It is completely unacceptable that up to 2.5 million older people should be subjected to avoidable cold and food poverty which will lead to further health inequalities.

“The policy will place even greater pressure on the NHS and voluntary and community services over an already-pressured winter.

“It is imperative that the UK and Scottish Governments reverses this decision and learns early that any policy change needs to thoroughly consider the consequences for the health of the poorest in society.”

The People’s Health Trust spoke to dozens of grassroots and community organisations supporting older people across Britain for its research.

The report found that changes to the winter fuel allowance are causing fear for older people’s mental and physical health, stress, anxiety and confusion.

It recommends that the Labour Government reverses its decision to limit the previously universal winter fuel payments to Britain’s poorest pensioners.

The report also calls for any new proposals to change the allowance to have undergone a thorough equalities impact assessment.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride said: “Labour like to characterise all pensioners as millionaires, but this clearly isn’t the case.

“Vulnerable pensioners will lose hundreds of pounds this winter and will be unable to heat their homes because of Labour’s cruel decision.

“All eyes will now be on Rachel Reeves and the upcoming budget. This is her obvious moment to scrap this cruel policy.”

The Chancellor sparked a furious backlash in July when she announced plans to restrict the allowance to only those on pension credit.

Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves have blamed the move on a £22 billion black hole in the public finances left by the Tories, which they have denied.

The change, which comes as energy bills went up this month, will see around 10 million older people lose out on the annual payments of up to £300 and save around £1.3 billion in the first year.

Lib Dem work and pensions spokesperson Steve Darling said: “It seems every day we hear more and more about just how difficult it is going to be for vulnerable pensioners this winter as a result of the Government’s cuts.

“Pressing ahead with these cuts simply cannot be allowed to happen.

“The Government must reverse their decision and ensure that the millions potentially at risk of choosing between heating and eating this winter get the support they need.”

Reform chief whip Mr Anderson hit out at Labour for stripping most pensioners of the allowance while making bumper pay offers to striking public sector workers.

The former Tory deputy chairman, who represents Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, called for the foreign aid budget to be slashed and the money instead spent on OAPs.

Writing in the Daily Express, he said: “Labour are bending over backwards to appease the unions, while at the same time taking money out of thousands of pensioners’ pockets and creating a miserable winter for millions more.

“Decisions like this make one thing very clear, that the Keir Starmer‘s Government prioritises foreign aid and the funding net zero over our oldest and most vulnerable citizens.

“The interests of British citizens must always take precedence over the funding of foreign governments.

“Keir’s failures to properly budget for pensioners and commit outrageous sums to foreign aid, should not be at the expense of our oldest citizens. Yet despite heavy criticism, Labour have doubled down on this shameful betrayal.

“While this has been voted on, it is not too late to be reversed. Cutting foreign aid, which we are legally capable of doing, would save billions of pounds, money that could and should be used to protect our pensioners.”

Meanwhile, Dennis Reed of the Silver Voices campaign group has accused Labour MPs of “hiding from the wrath of their pensioner constituents” by not answering emails.

He criticised the “vast majority” for not attending a protest outside Parliament on Monday organised by the National Pensioners Convention and Unite union.

Mr Reed said: “Labour MPs appear so embarrassed by the Chancellor’s decision to scrap the winter fuel payment for 10 million older people that they are hiding from the wrath of their pensioner constituents.

“The vast majority did not turn up to the rally and lobby on Monday to hear the case to restore the universal benefit and many emails from older constituents on the subject are going unanswered.

“MPs must be accountable to their constituents and Silver Voices is urging its members and supporters to confront Labour MPs in their local surgeries on the need for the budget to protect older people, and to make the MPs’ responses known in local newspapers and radio.

“The winter fuel decision was not in the Labour manifesto, never consulted on, and no impact analysis has been made public. It is a deeply undemocratic decision which Labour MPs must be held accountable for.”

Downing Street last month said a full impact assessment of the change has not been carried out.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) later slipped out figures on a Friday night based on “equality analyses” which showed 71% of those with a disability and 83% of those aged 80 or over would miss out.

A Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting pensioners – with millions set to see their state pension rise by up to £1,700 this parliament through our commitment to the triple lock.

“Over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment, and our drive to boost pension credit take up has already seen a 152% increase in claims. Many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount to help with energy bills over winter while our extension of the household support fund will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.”

Labour‘s winter fuel payment cuts are causing pensioners fear over how they will survive this winter, according to a new report.

The People’s Health Trust found that the policy is sparking concern for the health of older people forced to choose between heating and eating.

The health equity charity is urging Chancellor Rachel Reeves to U-turn on the controversial plan to strip most OAPs of the allowance.

It comes as Reform MP Lee Anderson has accused Labour of a “shameful betrayal” of pensioners with the change.

John Hume, chief executive of the People’s Health Trust, said: “Too many older people experiencing disadvantage are already living with energy debt and fuel poverty, forcing them into unacceptable decisions about switching on the heating for an hour or buying food.

“These are decisions no one should have to make, with implications that seriously impact their health and shorten their lives.

“We have heard from communities that older people simply don’t know how they’re going to survive the winter without the winter fuel payment.

“For many people two or three hundred pounds may not seem like a lot of money – for older people living in poverty, it can quite literally be a lifeline.

“It is completely unacceptable that up to 2.5 million older people should be subjected to avoidable cold and food poverty which will lead to further health inequalities.

“The policy will place even greater pressure on the NHS and voluntary and community services over an already-pressured winter.

“It is imperative that the UK and Scottish Governments reverses this decision and learns early that any policy change needs to thoroughly consider the consequences for the health of the poorest in society.”

The People’s Health Trust spoke to dozens of grassroots and community organisations supporting older people across Britain for its research.

The report found that changes to the winter fuel allowance are causing fear for older people’s mental and physical health, stress, anxiety and confusion.

It recommends that the Labour Government reverses its decision to limit the previously universal winter fuel payments to Britain’s poorest pensioners.

The report also calls for any new proposals to change the allowance to have undergone a thorough equalities impact assessment.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride said: “Labour like to characterise all pensioners as millionaires, but this clearly isn’t the case.

“Vulnerable pensioners will lose hundreds of pounds this winter and will be unable to heat their homes because of Labour’s cruel decision.

“All eyes will now be on Rachel Reeves and the upcoming budget. This is her obvious moment to scrap this cruel policy.”

The Chancellor sparked a furious backlash in July when she announced plans to restrict the allowance to only those on pension credit.

Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves have blamed the move on a £22 billion black hole in the public finances left by the Tories, which they have denied.

The change, which comes as energy bills went up this month, will see around 10 million older people lose out on the annual payments of up to £300 and save around £1.3 billion in the first year.

Lib Dem work and pensions spokesperson Steve Darling said: “It seems every day we hear more and more about just how difficult it is going to be for vulnerable pensioners this winter as a result of the Government’s cuts.

“Pressing ahead with these cuts simply cannot be allowed to happen.

“The Government must reverse their decision and ensure that the millions potentially at risk of choosing between heating and eating this winter get the support they need.”

Reform chief whip Mr Anderson hit out at Labour for stripping most pensioners of the allowance while making bumper pay offers to striking public sector workers.

The former Tory deputy chairman, who represents Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, called for the foreign aid budget to be slashed and the money instead spent on OAPs.

Writing in the Daily Express, he said: “Labour are bending over backwards to appease the unions, while at the same time taking money out of thousands of pensioners’ pockets and creating a miserable winter for millions more.

“Decisions like this make one thing very clear, that the Keir Starmer‘s Government prioritises foreign aid and the funding net zero over our oldest and most vulnerable citizens.

“The interests of British citizens must always take precedence over the funding of foreign governments.

“Keir’s failures to properly budget for pensioners and commit outrageous sums to foreign aid, should not be at the expense of our oldest citizens. Yet despite heavy criticism, Labour have doubled down on this shameful betrayal.

“While this has been voted on, it is not too late to be reversed. Cutting foreign aid, which we are legally capable of doing, would save billions of pounds, money that could and should be used to protect our pensioners.”

Meanwhile, Dennis Reed of the Silver Voices campaign group has accused Labour MPs of “hiding from the wrath of their pensioner constituents” by not answering emails.

He criticised the “vast majority” for not attending a protest outside Parliament on Monday organised by the National Pensioners Convention and Unite union.

Mr Reed said: “Labour MPs appear so embarrassed by the Chancellor’s decision to scrap the winter fuel payment for 10 million older people that they are hiding from the wrath of their pensioner constituents.

“The vast majority did not turn up to the rally and lobby on Monday to hear the case to restore the universal benefit and many emails from older constituents on the subject are going unanswered.

“MPs must be accountable to their constituents and Silver Voices is urging its members and supporters to confront Labour MPs in their local surgeries on the need for the budget to protect older people, and to make the MPs’ responses known in local newspapers and radio.

“The winter fuel decision was not in the Labour manifesto, never consulted on, and no impact analysis has been made public. It is a deeply undemocratic decision which Labour MPs must be held accountable for.”

Downing Street last month said a full impact assessment of the change has not been carried out.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) later slipped out figures on a Friday night based on “equality analyses” which showed 71% of those with a disability and 83% of those aged 80 or over would miss out.

A Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting pensioners – with millions set to see their state pension rise by up to £1,700 this parliament through our commitment to the triple lock.

“Over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment, and our drive to boost pension credit take up has already seen a 152% increase in claims. Many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount to help with energy bills over winter while our extension of the household support fund will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.”