Martin Lewis says thousands are 'collateral damage' under Government benefit change
'You are taking money out of their hands'
by Estel Farell Roig · BristolLiveMartin Lewis has said hundreds of thousands of people are "collateral damage" as a result of changes to Winter Fuel Payments. The Good Morning Britain host Martin Lewis spoke passionately about the issue while on air this morning as he interviewed Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
Martin Lewis told the number of people claiming Pension Credit has doubled from 20,000 to 40,000 a month, but that there are 780,000 pensioners in England and Wales set to lose their winter fuel allowance because they are not expected to apply for benefits they are entitled to.
"You would need an exponential rise in the number of people claiming Pension Credit for those pensioner to claim [Winter Fuel Payments] this year," he said. "We have to accept, you have to accept there will be many hundreds of thousands of the poorest pensioners - under £11,400 income - you will not reach this year. You are taking money out of their hands."
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He added: "You are willing to accept that collateral damage of hundreds of thousands of the poorest pensioners - many with dementia - not getting the Winter Fuel Payment."
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy responded that she was not willing to accept that, adding they have extended the cut off point to apply until April next year.
"We have inherited a situation where, for 14 years, there has been no drive to get the poorest people onto Pension Credit and get them the money they are entitled to," she continued. "We are absolutely determined to solve it and I do not accept your characterisation that we are indifferent to this.
"I could not care more about this, neither could the Chancellor and we are doing everything we can with the Work and Pensions Secretary to deal with the fact we have inherited this enormous black hole and this appalling economic inheritance."