Manchester's plan to 'soften the blow' of the winter fuel cuts

A new ‘pensioner hardship fund’ is coming to Manchester — to ‘soften the blow’ of government cuts to the winter fuel allowance, it’s claimed.

The hardship fund was announced by councillors on Wednesday (October 2). Details are scant at this stage, with council bosses expect to formally unveil it next week.

“We are calling on the council to establish a dedicated fund for pensioners to access emergency cash,” said Coun Joan Davies, one fund architect. Senior councillor Pat Karney added: “The leader is currently working on the details on who can get help.”

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While the hardship fund is still being finalised, the MEN understands it will ‘give advice and financial support’ to ‘potentially thousands’ of Mancunian pensioners. Some will be OAPs losing their fuel allowance this winter, Labour sources have confirmed.

Cash for pensioners will be paid for by the Household Support Fund (HSF), one source said, which is a government grant given to councils to help residents cope with the cost-of-living crisis. Currently, Manchester uses the HSF to pay for free school meals in the holidays.

The pensioner fund was passed unanimously by all parties at a full Manchester council meeting, but the Liberal Democrats said Manchester Labour’s move was ‘aiming to soften the blow’ of their government’s decision to cut the winter fuel allowance, so only those of pension age with an income of less than £218 per week, or £332 per week for couples can receive payments.

The meeting also saw the Lib Dems’ bid to request the council call on the Chancellor to reverse the decision was blocked.

The fund’s emergence comes as more calls have been made for retirees to claim their pension credit, with an estimated 8,000 Mancunian pensioners missing out on a £24 million pot.

“One reason people are not claiming is because it’s perceived as a benefit with stigma,” said Coun Susan Cooley. “But [pensioners] have worked hard. They are absolutely entitled to this.”

Similar calls were made in Salford on Wednesday, where city Mayor Paul Dennett said officials ‘estimate around £8.6m in pension credit goes unclaimed’. He added: “We are trying to get information out as widely as possible because it’s really important we do everything we can to support vulnerable people.”

Those calls have previously been heard in Wigan, where 4,000 people are missing out on £5.2m — and Oldham, where 3,000 haven’t claimed £8.5m.