Ranked – Birmingham areas with most winter fuel allowance recipients who are set to lose out

The number of pensioners receiving the winter fuel allowance across Birmingham is set to be slashed - with one area in the city having more than twice the number of OAPs receiving it compared to the area with the lowest

A number of pensioners across Birmingham are set to be hit by a benefits cut announced by the new Labour Government. Pensioner households have received £200 or £300, dependent on their age, to help pay for winter heating bills since the allowance was brought in in 1997.

But now Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced the benefit is to be cut from most pensioner – all but the poorest – in a bid to save the Treasury £13 billion in 2024/2025. And £1.5 billion in following years.

Some 10.6 million pensioners in 7.6 million households in England and Wales received the winter fuel allowance last winter (2023/2024). But those numbers are set to be slashed to 1.5 million pensioners in 1.3 million households set to receive the benefit under the new rules.

Read more: Martin Lewis says claim free £300 winter payment people 'assume' they aren't due

This winter only those OAPS on certain benefits will receive the £200 payment, or £300 if they are 80 or over. Those pensioners must be in receipt of one of the following:

· Pension Credit;

· Universal Credit;

· Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA);

· Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA);

· Income Support;

· Child Tax Credit or

· Working Tax Credit.

There are certain exceptions including those living in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year, those in prison for the whole week of 16 September 2024, to 22 September 2024. And those living in a care home from 24 June to 22 September 2024. While those in a care home for less than 13 weeks including the week of 16 to 22 September are also eligible.

In Birmingham, some 144,082 pensioners received the winter fuel payment last winter. The area with the most pensioners receiving the winter fuel allowance last winter (2023/2024) was Sutton Coldfield with some 21,019, according to figures released by the Department for Work and Pensions.

The town’s MP Andrew Mitchell has said this winter some 19,633 pensioners in Sutton will not receive the benefit. Now just 1,386 will.

Northfield had the second-highest number of pensioners receiving the winter fuel allowance at 16,608. While Sutton’s neighbour, Erdington, has the third-highest number of winter fuel payment recipients at 14,722.

The constituency with the lowest number of winter fuel allowance recipients in 2023/2024 is Ladywood – with 9,055. That is the only area in the city with less than 10,000 pensioners on the benefits.

Get the latest BirminghamLive news direct to your inbox

The full list of Birmingham constituencies with the number of people receiving the winter fuel allowance in 2023/2024 were:

Sutton Coldfield (Con) 21,019

Birmingham Northfield (Lab) 16,608

Birmingham Erdington (Lab) 15,709

Birmingham Edgbaston (Lab) 14,722

Birmingham Hodge Hill & Solihull North (Lab) 14,295

Birmingham Selly Oak (Lab) 14,017

Birmingham Yardley (Lab) 13,260

Birmingham Hall Green & Moseley (Lab) 13,093

Birmingham Perry Barr (Independent) 12,304

Birmingham Ladywood (Lab) 9,055