Chesterfield pensioner says 'losing my winter fuel payment means I have to watch every penny even more'

By Betty Moor
Published 30th Dec 2024, 00:00 GMT
Updated 8th Jan 2025, 16:07 GMT
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Sitting at home this evening in Chesterfield, I am in my living room trying to keep warm with my one bar electric fire.

Losing my winter fuel payment means I have to watch every penny even more. Also as I have a tiny pension, I don't qualify for any pension credit after struggling hours filling in the application form. I worked over 50 hours a week until retirement and if someone told me when I was younger that in 2024 I would be sitting in a cold house wondering if I can even afford to buy my grandchildren Christmas presents, I wouldn't have believed them. I wonder if Keir Starmer had a conscience when he spent time this Christmas with his family. He should have told pensioners he was going to scrap winter fuel allowance before the election.

Betty Moor

Chesterfield

Announcing the cutting back of the cold weather benefit in July last year, Rachel Reeves said the measure would shave £1.4bn from the DWP bill this financial year. This was done by means-testing the payment to make only pensioners claiming pension credit eligible for it. (Image: stock.adobe.com)Announcing the cutting back of the cold weather benefit in July last year, Rachel Reeves said the measure would shave £1.4bn from the DWP bill this financial year. This was done by means-testing the payment to make only pensioners claiming pension credit eligible for it. (Image: stock.adobe.com)
Announcing the cutting back of the cold weather benefit in July last year, Rachel Reeves said the measure would shave £1.4bn from the DWP bill this financial year. This was done by means-testing the payment to make only pensioners claiming pension credit eligible for it. (Image: stock.adobe.com)

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