Millions of pensioners are being left freezing in their homes (Image: Getty)
Millions of pensioners went cold in their own homes last month following Labour’s “cruel” decision to means-test winter fuel payments, in what campaigners branded “a national scandal”.
New figures showed three in four pensioners were living in uncomfortably cold homes in January, equivalent to 9.1 million people. Charity Age UK will today deliver a petition with 650,000 signatures to Downing Street demanding action to ensure it can never happen again.
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Age UK Director Caroline Abrahams said: “We cannot and we must not go through this all over again next winter.”
Households struggling with energy bills will face another blow next week when regulator Ofgem announces a new energy price cap which industry insiders warn could increase average household bills by up to ￡100. The cap for a typical household using electricity and gas and paying by Direct Debit has already risen by ￡170 since last year’s general election, despite Labour’s manifesto pledge to cut bills.
READ MORE: MPs accused of bullying staff and making their lives miserable
Desperate pensioners say they are being forced to stay in bed to keep warm or choose between heating and using the oven.
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Jay, 85, told Age UK: “I am constantly cold at home unless I am in bed. This way of living is restrictive and unhealthy too.”
Amanda, 69, said: “It’ll be a case of sitting in my dressing gown with my duvet over me. My monthly gas payment covers my gas cooker, I can’t afford to run my cooker and my heating.”
And Burton, 72, told the charity: “So far this winter I have been freezing cold in my own home. I sit indoors wearing two coats, a hat, scarf, gloves and a rug over my legs. I have severe rheumatoid arthritis and living in cold conditions has made it much worse.”
The survey found 75percent of people aged 66 and over said their homes were colder than they would like at least some of the time in January. For those pensioners on low to modest household incomes of ￡20,000 or less, one in three said their home was too cold most or all of the time. More than four in ten pensioners told Age UK they were worried about the impact of energy prices on their health.
MPs from across the political spectrum have backed the Express’s crusade to reverse the decision to means test winter fuel payments and Age UK will today deliver a petition to Number 10 demanding the Government either restore the allowance for all pensioners or introduce other measures such as a “social tariff” to cut bills for those on low incomes.
Ms Abrahams said: “This is the first January since the Government decided to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment and it is a national scandal that so many older people are saying they are cold in their own homes, some, most or all of the time.
“The position of those on lower incomes is worse still, with one in three saying they are cold at home most or all of the time. Rising energy prices are an important reason for this, but there’s no doubt that the changes to eligibility for Winter Fuel Payment are also contributing, both directly and also through sapping the confidence of many older people to run their heating when it’s bitterly cold, for fear of an unaffordable bill.”
Changes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves stripped more than nine million pensioners of the right to receive winter fuel payments of up to ￡300. Only those receiving benefits such as Pension Credit are now eligible.
It means single people with an annual income above ￡11,344, or couples with a combined income of ￡17,314, are considered too wealthy to need the payments, although there can be exceptions for carers or people with severe disabilities. In addition, around 700,000 people entitled to Pension Credit do not claim it, meaning they miss out on winter fuel payments too.
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The Government has admitted the decision will force up to 100,000 additional people into relative poverty after housing costs.
Ms Reeves insisted the policy, which could save the Treasury ￡1.4billion, was needed to help plug a ￡22billion “black hole” in the public finances.
Conservatives have contrasted the cuts with Labour’s decision to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and then pay billions to lease back the island of Diego Garcia, site of a military base. The Government has denied it is to pay ￡18 billion over 99 years but has refused to reveal the official figure.
Tory MP Wendy Morton told the House of Commons: “That money is enough to pay winter fuel payments to all pensioners for the next 12 years. I think that starts to give some context about where the Government’s priorities lie.”
The Government argues that 12 million pensioners will see their pensions increase by ￡470 this year following a decision to maintain the triple lock, with the full state pension set to rise by up to ￡1,900-a-year by the next election.
Pensions Minister Torsten Bell said: “Our dire fiscal inheritance is no secret. We owe it to the country - to all generations, young and old - to put that right, and that has involved wider tough decisions on tax and spending.”
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A Government spokesperson said: "We do not want to see anyone suffering this winter, which is why we have continued the Warm Home Discount and extended the Household Support Fund which will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.
"We are committed to supporting pensioners – with millions set to see their state pension rise by up to ￡1,900 this parliament through our commitment to the Triple Lock.
"And last year Energy UK, in collaboration with the Government, published a Winter 2024 Commitment which promises ￡500m of industry support to billpayers this winter."