Stourbridge Labour MP shares view on Winter Fuel Payment

The Labour Party has come under fire for axing the payment to help older people to pay their heating bills when the temperatures plummet.

In Dudley borough 61,468 people were eligible to receive the payment in 2022-23, according to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions, but under the new rules only around 7,779 people would be eligible – with 53,689 set to lose the payment (87 per cent).

Reader Steven James questioned why newly-elected Labour MP Cat Eccles did not mention the Winter Fuel Payment was going to be axed when canvassing ahead of the General Election.

He said: “My concern is for those pensioners who will already be hoping that we have a mild winter.

“I worked for 57 years to ensure I had a good standard of living when I retired.”

He said it was “not a good start” for the new MP.

Ms Eccles, however, whose constituency includes Netherton and Holly Hall, said she has prioritised helping people affected since taking office – holding surgeries to offer advice.

Stourbridge Labour MP Cat Eccles, who was elected in the July General Election (Image: Cat Eccles MP)

She said: “I’ve spoken to a lot of residents concerned about losing their Winter Fuel Payment. The previous government knowingly overspent on departmental budgets, covered it up, called an election and ran away from the problem. They left a £22bn black hole in the country’s finances. The Chancellor has taken the difficult decision that those not in receipt of Pension Credit, or certain other means-tested benefits, will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment from this year onwards. This targets payments at those in most need. This was a tough choice but a necessary one.

“Some low-income pensioners still aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and I’ve written to Dudley Council to ask for their assistance in driving uptake and target additional support to the poorest pensioners. I have liaised with local charities and organisations to map out where people can get support with pensions and benefits, as well as offering drop-in sessions to ensure people are getting everything they are entitled to.

“The Chancellor has repeated Labour’s manifesto commitment to protecting the triple lock. This will, over the next five years, mean that over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pension increase by thousands of pounds. The government is also supporting pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will reduce energy bills, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.”

Former Stourbridge MP Suzanne Webb has described the decision to scrap the payment as “beyond questionable especially with no notice or compensatory measures for this winter”.

She added: “I am deeply concerned about the health and financial impact on our elderly, particularly those in ill health and financially vulnerable.

“There are 1 million who are just above the threshold for claiming pension credit and around 800,000 who don’t claim the pension credit they are entitled to.

“Folks like my 86-year-old dad, who has dementia and chronic heart failure, must have the thermoset up high to protect his health, even in summer. That payment is much needed and now won’t happen. There are many more like my dad. I fear the decision to scrap the winter fuel payment will put more pressure on the NHS and leave vulnerable pensioners with the difficult question – whether to eat or heat. “Labour made all their spending commitments in full knowledge of what they could and couldn’t afford to do. It’s beyond disingenuous for the Labour Chancellor to now pretend to be blind to this reality and hope the public forgets what they promised. Half of the so called black hole is made up of public sector pay rises.

“It is a terrible and ill-thought-out policy decision.”