Chesterfield Lib Dems lose bid to prevent Government from cutting winter fuel payments

Chairperson Maggie Kellman, of Chesterfield Liberal Democrats, had urged the Government to rethink its plans and had urged Chesterfield’s Labour MP Toby Perkins to stand against the move during the Commons vote on September 10 on what she referred to as ‘blanket cuts’.

Ms Kellman, who is a Chesterfield Borough Councillor, said: “While many pensioners have good private pensions and do not depend on the Winter Fuel Allowance nearly half of all pensioners have an income below the £12,500 limit at which tax starts.

“There is a lot of talk about the generous Triple Lock which has increased the state pension but the UK pension is still one of the lowest and least generous in Western Europe.”

The Liberal Democrats had also tabled a Parliamentary motion – known as a prayer – to block the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024, published by the Government last week, from becoming law.

But MPs voted down the Conservative opposition motion by 348 votes to 228 and the Government’s plan is now set to go ahead meaning winter fuel payments will only be made to those on low incomes who receive certain benefits so more than 10 million pensioners will be expected to no longer receive the payments of between £200 and £300 a year.

Ms Kellman claims new analysis shows an estimated 16,884 pensioners in Chesterfield are at risk of now losing the £300 payment which helps with heating bills in the cold winter months.

She added this is the estimated number of pensioners in the constituency who do not receive pension credit, and so will lose the winter fuel allowance under the Government’s plans unless they receive other benefits, and all despite the average energy bill set to rise by £149 a year from October.

Across the country, over 10 million pensioners are now set to lose their winter fuel payment under the Government’s plans, including two million that the charity Age UK has said will struggle to afford their energy bills as a result.

Ms Kellman added: “Stripping support from many of the poorest pensioners in Chesterfield just when energy bills are set to rise again is simply wrong. It could force vulnerable elderly people in our community to choose between eating and heating this winter.”

Unite and the Public and Commercial Services unions have also both criticised Labour’s decision to scrap Winter Fuel Payments.

Under the Government’s changes only those pensioners who receive pension credit or other means-tested benefits will still get an estimated £300 winter fuel allowance towards the cost of their energy bills.

The Government has argued that scrapping winter fuel payments has been necessary because of claims of a £22bn financial ‘black hole’ left by the Conservative Government- which is disputed by the Tories.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also argued that it has been necessary to make ‘tough decisions’.

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins has also blamed the previous Conservative Government for the country’s current financial position but he recognises the removal of the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners who are not in receipt of pension credit will be a problem for some.

He has stated he will be pressing the Government to see what other measures they can put in place to ensure that hard-pressed pensioners do not fall into poverty and he says he will be working to ensure that almost one million pensioners who are eligible for Pension Credit but have not applied for it do so.

Mr Perkins has also said there will be wider support for pensioners through protecting the pensions ‘triple lock’ over the next five years and by helping pensioners through the Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating and see an upgrading for millions of homes.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said the Government will keep the Triple Lock – which ensures the value of the state pension is not overtaken by the increase in the cost of living or working people’s incomes – until the end of the current Parliament.