50,000 extra pensioners set to fall into poverty after Winter Fuel Payment cut

A Winter Fuel Payment disaster warning has been issued - as 50,000 extra pensioners look set to fall into poverty after benefit cut, the Labour Party government has admitted. In a letter to the Work and Pensions Committee, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) minister Liz Kendall revealed tens of thousands of older Britons will fall into relative poverty due to the up to £300 in energy bill support being means-tested.

Ms Kendall shared: "The latest modelling shows that compared to the numbers that would have been in poverty without this policy, it is estimated that in each year in question there will be an additional 50,000 pensioners in relative poverty after housing costs in 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2027/28, instead.

"The modelling also shows that an additional 100,000 pensioners are estimated to be in relative poverty after housing costs in 2026/27, 2028/29 and 2029/30. For all other measures of poverty, it is estimated that there will be an additional 50,000 pensioners in poverty each year from 2024/25 to 2029/30."

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"As I outlined in my evidence, we are taking significant steps to encourage those pensioners who are entitled to claim Pension Credit to do so with the success of our campaign boosting applications by 152 per cent, and I will continue with this endeavour," Kendall added.

"For example, we have written to 120,000 pensioners in receipt of Housing Benefit who may also be entitled to Pension Credit to encourage them to claim. In the longer term, we are working to bring together the administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit, to ensure that pensioner households receive the benefits to which they are entitled."

A DWP spokesperson told The Big Issue: "We want to ensure all pensioners get the support they’re entitled to. These figures are a reflection of our successful pension credit campaign boosting applications by 152 per cent. Successful claims for pension credit can be backdated by three months, so all eligible claims made by December 21 would also receive a winter fuel payment as well as arrears of pension credit. We continue to urge anyone who thinks they may be entitled to Pension Credit to check now."

GB News has contacted the DW