Winter Fuel Allowance and Pension Credit

At the Folkestone & Hythe District Council Full Council Meeting of 2nd October, the Conservative Group put the following motion:

Changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance and protecting pensioners from fuel poverty

Council Notes:

• The Labour Government’s recent decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to only pensioners in receipt of means-tested benefits like Pension Credit, as announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
• The estimated impact of this decision, which Age UK says will mean 2 million pensioners who badly need the money to stay warm this winter will not receive it.  In our District there are 24,497 pensioners who will lose this winter fuel allowance.
• The significant role that Winter Fuel Payments play in helping older residents of FHDC and across the UK afford heating during the coldest months, thereby preventing 'heat or eat' dilemmas and safeguarding health.
• The criticism from Age UK, the Countryside Alliance and other charities, highlighting the social injustice and potential health risks posed by this sudden policy change.The additional strain this decision will place on vulnerable pensioners, many of whom do not claim Pension Credit despite being eligible, further exacerbating their financial hardship.

Council believes:

• That the Winter Fuel Payment has been a lifeline for many older people across the UK and that restricting its availability solely to those on Pension Credit risks leaving many pensioners in financial hardship.
• While some pensioners currently in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment may not require it, many thousands across FHDC sit just above the cut-off for Pension Credit and will now lose their allowance.
• The decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments, especially with such short notice and without adequate compensatory measures, is deeply unfair and will disproportionately affect the health and well-being of our poorest older residents.
• The government’s approach fails to consider the administrative barriers and stigma that prevent eligible pensioners from claiming Pension Credit, leaving many without the support they desperately need.

Council resolves to:

• Bring forward a Council-led local awareness campaign to alert those eligible of Pension Credit which in some respects will help access to the Winter Fuel Payment for those most in need.
• Request that the Council Leader write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, urging a review of the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment and asking the government to ensure that vulnerable pensioners, particularly those who do not claim Pension Credit, are protected from fuel poverty.
• Encourage local efforts to promote Pension Credit uptake through council services and partnerships with local charities and community organisations to ensure that all eligible pensioners in FHDC are supported in claiming their entitlement.

The motion was amended slightly, but passed. 

Tim Prater, Cabinet Member for Finance and Deputy Leader, responding to the Conservative motion, said: 

I have some sympathy for the Chancellor.

I’ve personal experience of having to deal with a huge projected financial deficit left by an unpopular and routed Conservative administration. 

I know how hard that is, and the difficult choices you need to face. I don't doubt the mountain that Rachel Reeves has to climb.

At least when we took over this administration the scale of the financial challenge was mainly known, if daunting. The mountain facing this Government seems to keep growing as things we should have know come to light.

But where I sympathise with this motion is that while targeting Winter Fuel Payments at those that need it most is reasonable, there are many more people than just those on pension credits that do need it. Living on a full state pension puts many outside pension credit, but in no way comfortably off.

However, where we can help locally is in redoubling our efforts to encourage people to sign up for pension credits. And we already are.

You'll have seen press releases, website stories, Facebook posts and more in the last week encouraging people to do so.

Over 200 people we've identified as being likely to be eligible for Pension Credits but not claiming them the Welfare team are in the process of contacting directly.

And we've used the residue of the last round of the HSF to give a £150 supermarket voucher to 217 pensioner households previously in receipt of HSF to put money directly, now, in their pocket.

We actually don't need a motion asking our welfare team to support local people with everything they've got. That's what they do, year in, year out. That's why they have again been nominated for 4 awards at this year's IRRV Awards, one of only 2 Councils nationally to get as many as 4 nominations. 

But actually, I welcome the additional recognition to gives to the team, and the additional publicity this motion may give the issue. 

So I'll use this opportunity to send a direct message, and ask everyone to take this back to every local resident. If you can apply for pension credits, please do, and do so now.

But for the Conservatives to complain about cuts at this moment is just breath-taking. To crash the car while driving recklessly is one thing. To then complain that the car isn't working as well as it used to and that the repairs are massively expensive is a whole new world of hypocrisy. 

Of course the Government should revisit their decision on Winter Fuel Payments. Of course they should reconsider the impact on those outside the Pension Credits threshold, but not well off. But that's above my pay-grade: I hope our Labour colleagues will have success making that point before the budget.

So I'll back the motion, as amended. But I'll back our area's pensioners first. And what we are doing, and what we will continue to do, is anything we can to ensure that as many people who are still entitled to support can get it. If you are eligible for Pension Credits: sign up for them.