Lib Dems say “Stop the Winter Fuel Payments cut”

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has announced his party is tabling a motion to block the government’s proposed cut to Winter Fuel Payments this week.

All 72 Liberal Democrat MPs have backed the party’s ‘prayer motion’ to block the cut to Winter Fuel Payments and ensure MPs are given a vote on the changes before they come into force on 16th September.

It comes as analysis by the Liberal Democrats shows that pensioners are expected to take a £670 hit this winter due to the rise in the energy price cap, the end to the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, and the government’s cuts to the winter fuel allowance coming into effect.

York’s Liberal Democrats are urging the city’s two Labour MPs to “think again” about the proposed cut to Winter Fuel Payments which will impact 10 million pensioners. Of these, the charity Age UK has said two million will find paying their energy bills a real stretch and will be seriously hit by this cut.

According to the government’s own figures, 800,000 of the lowest-income pensioners are eligible for Pension Credit but do not get it, meaning they will lose their Winter Fuel Payments.

Cllr Nigel Ayre said:

“We have heard from countless pensioners in York, worried about how they will afford their energy bills this winter. Stripping support from many of the poorest pensioners, just when energy bills are set to rise again this winter, is the wrong thing to do.

“That is why we are glad to see that Lib Dems in Parliament are tabling a motion to reject these plans and give York’s two Labour MPs a chance to vote on this issue on behalf of their constituents.

“Labour need to rethink this proposal urgently so that poorer and vulnerable pensioners continue to get the support they need.”