Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer
HM Treasury
1 Horse Guards Rd
LONDON
SW1A 2HQ
Copy: Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero; Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Minister for Energy Consumers
26 August 2024
RECONSIDER AXING OF THE WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS
Dear Chancellor,
I am writing to you following your announcement on 29 July 2024 of the scrapping of Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners not qualifying for pension credit or other forms of means tested benefits.
Having been part of the settled benefits accorded to pensioners for years, this action risks leaving many this year without warm, dry homes in Winter and is particularly pernicious given the timing and lack of consultation on this measure. Furthermore it risks putting extra pressure on our NHS during winter, which is typically time of additional stress for the health service. The withdrawal of such support also impacts the most vulnerable and disabled in our society and I fear many will not be aware of the withdrawal of this benefit and any remedial measures they can undertake, despite the Government’s recent campaign on the matter.
In Surrey Heath Constituency, as of February 2024, there were 1,054 pensioners claiming pension credit and there were 20,504 recipients of Winter Fuel Payments (over Winter 2022-23)1. The scrapping of this payment could therefore see over 19,000 pensioners left adrift.
I urge you, and colleagues, to reassess, reconsider and reverse this damaging and debilitating policy which is seemingly aimed at some of the most vulnerable in the country. Furthermore, if there are future, significant changes to pensioner benefits, this needs to be carried out with empathy and understanding about how information about changes, and impact, has on this group who have contributed a lifetime to society.
I hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Yours sincerely,
Ed McGuinness
Campaigner
- 1Sources: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-statistical-summary-poli… & https://www.surreyi.gov.uk/. Note: Given recent boundary changes and data scrape dates, numbers may not be wholly up to date. Both accessed August 2024.
