Derbyshire council calls for reversal of ‘savage’ Winter Fuel Payment cuts for pensioners

The local authority has called for a reversal of the policy

Derbyshire County Council has voted by a majority to oppose the Government’s Winter Fuel Payment cuts for pensioners – which could see millions miss out on the allowance – as the authority also calls for a reversal of the policy. The Conservative-led council considered Cllr Stuart Swann’s motion at a recent meeting for the authority to formally oppose the Government’s changes and cutbacks to Winter Fuel Allowances.

Conservative Cllr Swann criticised that winter fuel payments will now only be made to those on low incomes who receive pension credits and certain benefits and he fears this means millions of others will no longer receive the payments including about 155,000 Derbyshire pensioners. Cllr Swann stated: “To help fund inflation-busting pay deals in the public sector, the Labour Government has without notice unjustly decided to restrict the Winter Fuel Allowance to only pensioners in receipt of means-tested benefits like Pension Credit.

“In doing so, the Government led by Sir Keir Starmer has chosen to award train drivers on £65,000 a pay rise of almost £10,000 while removing the Winter Fuel Allowance from pensioners living on just £13,000 a year.” Under the Government’s changes only those pensioners who receive Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits will now still get an estimated £300 Winter Fuel Allowance towards the cost of rising energy bills.

Many fear that over 10 million pensioners will subsequently lose their winter fuel payment under the Government’s plans, including two million that the charity Age UK has said will struggle to afford their energy bills as a result. Others are also concerned that those still remaining eligible for a Winter Fuel Allowance under the new regulations will only receive payments if they have claimed pension credit – which is a state pension top-up – and it has been argued by opponents of the new policy that hundreds of thousands have not submitted any such claim and will go without payments.

Cllr Swann added: “Labour’s cruel and unfair approach is in stark contrast to the actions of the previous Government which was always fully committed to the Winter Fuel Allowance and introduced the State Pension Triple Lock while providing an array of support to households, and in particular older and vulnerable people, in respect of the energy price increases following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

He claims many thousands of Derbyshire pensioners sit just above the cut-off for Pension Credit and will lose their allowance, and the decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments is ‘deeply unfair’ and will disproportionately affect the county’s poorest older residents. However opposition Labour Group Leader, Cllr Joan Dixon, criticised the Conservative council’s own decisions and plans concerning Derbyshire pensioners.

Cllr Dixon pointed out that many pensioners are currently being affected by the council’s cabinet decision to increase charges for adult social care services as it continues with efforts to manage an estimated budget shortfall of around £40m. She claims these increases have seen some pensioners pay an additional £12,000 per year for the service while some pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit are having to pay an additional £200 per month for the service.

Cllr Dixon stated: “Additional costs for Derbyshire pensioners on this scale dwarf the loss of Winter Fuel Allowance for those affected and will have a significant impact on pensioner fuel poverty in the county.” She also pointed out that the council is considering ceasing grant payments to Age UK in Derbyshire and to pensioner-based luncheon clubs.

Cllr Dixon requested the council considers relaunching the Quids-in Campaign to assist pensioners with benefit claims, and that it considers its winter fuel payment motion when deciding upon cutting grant funding for luncheon clubs, Age UK and pensioner activities and that it should state why such cuts will not affect pensioner fuel poverty.

She also called for the council to publish an assessment of the impact of its adult social care changes, and to welcome the £5,404,080.90 grant provided by the Labour Government to support vulnerable households in Derbyshire via the Household Support Grant. But the Labour councillors’ call for such an amendment to Cllr Swann’s motion was lost after it was outvoted by the Conservative-led council.

The council subsequently voted by a majority to; oppose the scrapping of the Winter Fuel Allowance; bring forward an awareness campaign to help those eligible to apply for Pension Credit; request the Council Leader writes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer outlining the council’s position, urging the Government to reverse the policy, and to provide assurances it will prevent fuel poverty. Cllr Swann’s successful motion also agreed that the authority will sign Age UK’s Save the Winter Fuel Payment for Struggling Pensioners petition and encourage councillors to sign the petition while encouraging efforts to promote Pension Credit uptake.

Opposition Labour Group Deputy Leader, Cllr Ruth George, said the council’s motion was ‘political posturing’ from a party that she claims has ‘hammered pensioners’ nationally and locally and she claims there is more the council could do but it chose to vote against Cllr Dixon’s proposed amendment. Cllr George added: “I am very sorry there is political posturing going on and the facts are not not being taken into account because there are lots of people struggling out there and what we need to do is work with them and listen to them.”

The Labour Government has argued that cutting winter fuel payments has been necessary because of claims of a £22bn financial ‘black hole’ left by the Conservative Government- which is disputed by the Tories. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also argued that it has been necessary to make ‘tough decisions’.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has also said the Government will keep the ‘Triple Lock’ to support pensioners until the end of the current Parliament which ensures the value of the state pension is not overtaken by the increase in the cost of living or working people’s incomes. However, Cllr Swann told the council meeting on October 9: “This savage attack on elderly people is a clear political choice and we know from what Sir Keir Starmer said in April he is absolutely aware of the consequences of the decision he has made.”

Cllr Swann conceded that thanks to the Triple Lock the state pension will rise next April from £300 to £400 but he argued this will not help those who need hundreds of pounds this winter to keep warm. He added: “We can all see this is a colossal injustice perpetrated by a Government which falsely claimed during the the recent election that it was committed to helping the the poorest people in society.”