DWP issues update over delaying £300 Winter Fuel Payment cut for 'a year'

The Department for Work and Pensions has issued an update over delaying the £300 Winter Fuel Payment cut for A YEAR. The DWP Winter Fuel Allowance has been means-tested this year, leaving 10 million pensioners at risk of losing £300.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast Miatta Fahnbulleh, Labour Party Minister for Energy Consumers, said the decision to axe the money ‘has been made’ when she was asked if it should be paused for a year. She said: “What I would say to anyone, whether it’s a pensioner, whether it’s a mum with 3 kids, pick up the phone. If you’re worried about your energy bills, if you’re worried about turning off your heat, please call your supplier because there is support in the system waiting to help people.

“We do have people who got in touch over this policy to say they agree it should happen, it shouldn’t be blanket for everybody to receive that money. The criticism is that it’s happening too quickly and even those who reach the threshold for credit don’t have the time to access it."

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Nina Warhurst, who was hosting, asked: “So this is from Andrew, ‘my mum applied for credits and the process was difficult. She struggled with the form online. The follow up letter was so confusing. They refused in June. We’re still seeking a mandatory review’. This one from Jackie, who lives in Bournemouth. ‘I applied for my disabled mother on the 1st of February. We are still waiting for them to process this application. I’ve not had a call and was told I would receive one within 48 hours. At the DWP there is no sense of the urgency on this issue’.“

Ms Fahnbulleh replied: “Well, listen, what I would say is there’s absolutely a sense of the urgency. We know that the forms are too long. We know that it is a difficult system for people to navigate. That’s a system we’ve inherited. We are very quickly trying to make it simpler and easier for people, you know, we’ve seen record uptake in pension credit because we’re driving to make sure that if you are eligible, you can access pension credit.

“On top of that we are providing additional support. So this is why we’ve been working with energy suppliers to make sure there is 500 million pounds of support in the system so people can pick up the phone, speak to their supplier if they’re worried, alongside the help that we’re already providing through our warm homes discount.

"So we’re trying to do everything we can to help people. We know that people are worried about their energy bills. We know that there will be people really anxious going into the cold months. And we will, we are trying to do what we can to get support to people. So if you’re worried, pick up the phone, speak to your supplier, call Citizens Advice, there is support in the system to help you.”

Nina asked: “Would the sensible thing to do not be just to put it off for a year? We know that 2 out of 5 pensioners haven’t even checked whether they’re eligible for support. Another year, another winter would give everyone the time to know where they stand.”

Ms Fahnbulleh replied: “Well, listen, the winter fuel payment decision has been made. My job is to make sure that we’re getting the energy system that is affordable for people, because look, the bottom line is, energy is simply unaffordable for too many households, and that’s the thing that we need to change.”