Winter Fuel Allowance still to be cut – despite Coalition promise

Winter Fuel Allowance still to be cut – despite Coalition promise

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The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has criticised the Chancellor, George Osborne, for planning to cut the winter fuel allowance in 2011, despite a pledge in the Coalition government's programme to protect it.
In the Spending Review, the Chancellor said: "Winter Fuel Payments will remain exactly as budgeted for by the previous Government" - but the NPC points out that this means the £250 currently paid to households under 80 will drop to £200 and the £400 currently paid to the over 80s will fall to £300.


Already over 70 MPs have signed Early Day Motion 481 criticising the move.


Dot Gibson, NPC general secretary said: "The winter death rate amongst older people is a national scandal and getting worse. Last winter over 36,700 pensioners died of cold related illnesses – a staggering 13 pensioners every hour. Yet the government has now confirmed it is going to cut the winter fuel allowance next year, which will only make matters worse.”


“Up to 3m pensioner households are already spending more than 10% of their income on fuel bills, and are living in fuel poverty. What older people need now is more money – not less. They need to be reassured that when the cold weather comes they will not be financially punished for keeping warm in winter. The government must give them confidence that they will be able to pay their bills by immediately ruling out any changes to the winter fuel allowance.”

Julian Bray, Chairman, Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch said: This winter I am asking residents to make extra physical checks on elderly neighbours, and ensure that they are warm and safe this winter. We are facing a hike of 25% in fuel costs and a rise to 20% in VAT from January 2011. These and other increases will put intolerable strains on some slender household budgets and the easy option is to turn the heating down when old people most need it. There are special plans whcih could financially help but we cannot do anything unless we can find  and locate the people who are affected and they are agreeable to some form of practical assistance. The Government funded Warmfront programme for example will replace old boilers with energy saving  (IE MONEY SAVING!) condenser boilers...."




FUEL POVERTY POINTS 




Nearly 90 per cent of all excess winter deaths are of people over the age of 65.


There were 36,700 excess winter deaths of older people last year (Dec 08 - Mar 09)


Almost one in three older people live in homes with inadequate heating or insulation making their homes more difficult to heat and/or keep warm.


More than 1 in 4 people living in fuel poverty are over 70 years old


Average annual energy bills now exceed £1,000. This will absorb 16 per cent of the income of a single pensioner dependent on the pension credit minimum guarantee and the current £250 Winter Fuel Payment.






(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581