The Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis grilled the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy on the government’s controversial decision to axe winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners
GMB: Martin Lewis grills Nandy on Winter Fuel Payment cuts
Martin Lewis has grilled Cabinet minister Lisa Nandy on the government’s controversial decision to axe winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.
The Money Saving Expert founder, who suggested hundreds of thousands of the poorest OAPs could now miss out, asked the Culture Secretary: “Why are you defending this?”
He told Ms Nandy: “Look, you have been a campaigner for the poorest in society for a very long time. So it seems rather odd you are sitting there defending a policy that [charities] are pulling their hair out about.”
The heated exchange on Good Morning Britain comes as the government faces intense pressure to U-turn on the decision to scrap the £300 winter fuel payments for the majority of pensioners.
Under changes announced in July all but the poorest pensioners will see the payment axed and only those on pension credit or other benefits now eligible for the support. But around 780,000 people eligible for pension credit have still not applied – leading to fears many of the poorest will miss out.
Ms Nandy said the government has had a “huge drive” to get the poorest pensioners on pension credit, with a 115% increase in the numbers of people claiming. But Mr Lewis shot back on Good Morning Britain, saying: “There is a huge flaw in what you’ve said.”
He said on the government’s current trajectory it would take four years before all these people are signed up for the support and not missing out. “You believe they should get pension credit and winter fuel, but they’re not going to claim. They are the hardest to reach, you’re not writing individual letters to them,” he said.
He added: “There’s lots you could do. So to try and talk about it, ‘we’re targeting the poorest’.. The truth is you’re not targeting them. Why aren’t you writing them bloody letters?
But Ms Nandy stressed the government is writing eligible pensioners letters, adding: “I know how strongly you feel about it, Martin. We do take very seriously what you say, what Age UK says, and we’re working with the widest range of people to make sure that we do reach those people. In fairness you’ve just said to me you’re not writing them bloody letters, well we are. I just wanted to explain that because I don’t want people to think for a moment we’re going to leave them high and dry.”
But Mr Lewis, who has been campaigning on the issue, said the government must accept hundreds of thousands of the poorest pensioners “will not be reached this year”.
He added: “You are taking money out of their hands. Do you accept the truth, the reality is, that is what will practically happen? Let’s be honest, you’re willing to accept that collateral damage of hundreds of thousands of pensioners – many [with] dementia – not getting the winter fuel payment.”
Ms Nandy replied: “No, I’m not willing to accept that. It’s one of the reasons we’ve extended the cut-off point to apply [for pension credit] until April next year. Even if people don’t realise right now despite this sort of conversation happening on national media… they find out later they are still eligible, they can still apply, they will get it backdated.”
