Liz Kendall said the Government was doing everything it could to prevent the 880,000 people eligible for Pension Credit – so therefore eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment – from missing out
A warning has been issued as 880,000 people eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment this year could miss out.
The warning came from a parliamentary debate earlier this week about the Labour Government’s controversial move to change the eligibility requirements for £300 support payment this year. This year, pensioners need to claim certain benefits to get the support payment, which is worth between £200 and £300.
Last year, this payment was available to all pensioners over the state pension age. The Government has urged people to apply for Pension Credit, as it said hundreds of thousands of eligible people were not claiming it. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall reinforced this message in parliament on Monday.
Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesperson Steve Darling described the approach as “regressive” that would “add insult to injury” for pensioners. He told the Commons: “There are 2.7 million pensioners who are over the age of 80 and would be benefiting from the £300 winter fuel allowance.
“These are among the most vulnerable in our society, and you are quite right how the previous Government let them down, but let us not add insult to injury and have the new Government let them down. Can you reassure us that you will reverse from this regressive approach that you have taken with the winter fuel allowance and not hit the most vulnerable who are over 80?”
However, in response, Liz Kendall said the Government was doing everything it could to prevent the 880,000 people eligible for Pension Credit – so therefore eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment – from missing out.
She said: “(Mr Darling) will know that this was not a decision that we wanted or expected to make. The reason we have done it is that we have to deal with the £22billion blackhole in the public finances left by members opposite, but in doing so we will, as a progressive party, always prioritise the very poorest pensioners and that is why we are so determined to end a situation where up to 880,000 miss out on winter fuel because they are not getting pension credit, and we are determined to put that right.”
During the session, former work and pensions minister Mel Stride, who now has the shadow role for the Conservative opposition, claimed that Labour had “no plans” to means-test Winter Fuel Allowance during their election run and had opposed it during their time as the opposition. He said: “Indeed, in 2017, her own party produced an analysis suggesting that around 4,000 pensioners would die prematurely were this policy to be brought into effect. Does (Ms Kendall) standby that figure of around 4,000, if not, how many premature deaths does she believe will occur as a result of this policy?”
Liz replied noting that the Tories had also planned on means-testing the benefit back in 2017. However, even though they didn’t, they still managed to push hundreds of thousands of pensioners into poverty even though Stride disputed this claim. She said: “So I would just say to (Mr Stride) until party members opposite know that they have to apologise to the British people for the 200,000 extra pensioners in poverty over the last 14 years, and for a £22billion black hole in the public finances, which we are now putting right, which has put the public finances at risk, they will remain on those seats and we will remain on these.”
