DWP urged to 'come clean' over new means-testing for state pensioners

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been urged to "come clean" over its new Winter Fuel Payment eligibility which means state pensioners risk DEATH. The Labour Party government and DWP have been called to 'come clean' as party's research finds 4,000 pensioners to die in the benefit cut.

Dennis Reed, the director of Silver Voices, has spoken out. “There is no doubt that the impact of this policy will cause extra deaths from cold-related conditions and put more stress on emergency NHS care this winter," Reed said.

"Because of the refusal to conduct a full impact assessment before railroading this policy through, Labour has cooked up a winter NHS crisis entirely of its own making." Caroline Abrahams, the charity director at Age UK, added: "The Government’s modelling suggests some 50,000 to 100,000 older people will fall into poverty each year as a result of their decision to brutally ration winter fuel payment.

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"That’s bad enough, we may all feel, but really looking at the effect in this way understates its impact on pensioners on low and modest incomes.- Age UK’s own impact assessment found that as many as two and a half million older people who can ill-afford to lose the payment will do so because they don’t claim pension credit, aren’t eligible, or have especially high energy needs due to ill health or disability."

A Government spokesperson told Birmingham Live: "Internal modelling on poverty estimates was produced as part of routine policy advice. The modelling is subject to a range of uncertainties and does not take into account the significant work we’re doing to encourage pension credit take-up. Our awareness drive has resulted in a 152 per cent increase in claims since July.

"The modelling also doesn’t reflect that we have put in place extra support for those who need it most, such as our extension of the Household Support Fund. Many pensioners will also benefit from the £150 Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payments to help with energy bills and millions of pensioners are also set to benefit from an increase of up to £470 to the state pension in April.

"This Government inherited a £22 billion black hole in our public finances, which means we needed to take tough decisions to balance the books. We continue to urge pensioners to check their eligibility for pension credit to ensure as many people as possible receive the support they’re entitled to."