Changes to the winter fuel payment (WFP) in England and Wales have split opinion among the elderly. The removal of the £300 annual payment, which has run since 1997, will only be received by those on certain benefits. Previous eligibility covered all pensioners, with around 10.8 million receiving WFP last winter. However, some pensioners are comfortable with the move, with Jon Harvey saying, “there are people who need it more than me” and Olwen Jones donating her previous payments to charity.
The new rules mean that only over-65s who qualify for seven specific benefits, including universal credit, income-related employment and support allowance, income-based jobseekers’ allowance, income support, child tax credit, working tax credit, and pension credit, are eligible for the WFP. Age UK estimate that an estimated 2.5 million pensioners will struggle to pay their bills without the cash.
The WFP cost the UK government £2bn in the previous year, with the changes expected to save around £1.5bn. Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended the move as part of wider measures to address the UK’s £22bn budget deficit. This year’s state pension also increased by £690 for those who reached retirement age prior to April 2016 and £900 for those after that date, compared to the maximum £300 WFP payment.
Liz Emerson, CEO of Intergenerational Foundation, a charity campaigning for youth-friendly government, commented that older generations, on larger pensions, have done better than the young as property wealth and pension allowances have increased over recent years. The charity is also in favour of additional support for pensioners on low incomes or those who are medically vulnerable
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