As the days grow colder and shorter, the new government is cutting Winter Fuel Payments for ten million pensioners.
That cut will cost pensioners up to £300 a year. It will impact pensioners receiving as little as £13,000 a year.
On Tuesday, Andrew spoke again in the Commons against the removal of Winter Fuel Payments. Andrew said:
“Old people die in cold homes, and they die particularly if they are very old. Does my right hon. Friend think that if the Government are not minded to change their mind entirely, they might look at those aged over 80? Those people are in receipt of the higher rate of winter fuel payment, and paragraph 3 of the regulations points out that there is a difference between those over 80 and those under 80. That might be one way that the Government could make this slightly less worse than it otherwise is.”
Last week in the Commons, he asked:
“Is the Leader of the House concerned that those who will suffer as a result of the Government’s decision to cut the winter fuel allowance live in remote, rural locations, in homes that often are difficult to insulate and off-grid? Could we have a debate in Government time on how the Government’s early priorities will disproportionally impact those people living in the countryside in remote and rural locations?”
Andrew has signed a petition against the cuts and is inviting others to do the same:
https://www.whatlaboursaid.com/winter-fuel-payment
Andrew says:
“Ministers are making a political choice to cut Winter Fuel Payments. A choice they didn’t mention when they were asking people to vote for them a few weeks ago. The more people who back our petition – the harder it will be for the government to ignore.”