Councillors call for winter fuel payments decision to be reversed for ‘betrayed’ pensioners

RMBC will write to Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, calling for the new winter fuel payment policy to be suspended and reviewed.

Cllr Adam Carter, leader of the Rotherham Liberal Democrats, called for the winter fuel payments to be restored at yesterday’s (September 11) full council meeting.

He told the council he was ‘disappointed’ at the Labour government’s decision to only give winter fuel payments to pensioners in receipt of pension credit.

In Rotherham, only 6,474 pensioners will receive the winter fuel allowance of up to £300, which was introduced to help pensioners pay climbing energy bills and stay warm in the winter.

Across Rotherham, a total of 42,185 pensioners who received the payment last year will not receive it under the means-tested guidance which will come into effect this winter.

“They are going to have hardship this winter, thanks to the very first major spending decision they [the government] made,” added cllr Carter.

Cllr Drew Tarmey added: “UK state pension is still below the EU average.

“We’re talking about pensioners that are on less than half of the minimum wage.

“We need to write to as many pensioners as we can, we need to encourage people through whatever means of communication this council has at its disposal….to encourage people that are eligible to apply for pension credit.

Cllr Chris Read, Labour leader of the council, told the meeting that the government had found a £22bn ‘black hole’ in its finances, and added that Labour councillors agreed with the motion.

“I think we’d all like the government to pause and reconsider,” added cllr Read.

Cllr Zachary Collingham, leader of the opposition Conservative party, said that the policy had come ‘out of the blue,’ and added that he supported the call.

Cllr Timothy Baum-Dixon, fellow Conservative, added that the policy was ‘incoherent,’ and had left many pensioners feeling ‘betrayed’.

The motion was almost unanimously supported with Labour, Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Independent councillors voting to agree on the motion, and just one abstention.

Labour said the changes needed to be made to tackle the “black hole” in the public finances.