Government issues update on £300 Winter Fuel Payment as legal bid could see axe overturned
The Winter Fuel Payment benefit, which handed up to £300 to more than 11 million pensioners, was axed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, sparking outrage - and now the Government has issued an update
by Annabal Bagdi, Ben Hurst · ChronicleLiveThe Government has released an update on the Winter Fuel Payment. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has made the decision to slash the benefit, which previously provided up to £300 to over 11 million pensioners.
This action has ignited a wave of anger as numerous individuals are now set to lose out on this financial aid. According to recent documents, elderly couples will be hit hardest by this change.
Govan Law Centre has initiated a judicial review in the Court of Sessions, Scotland's supreme court. The centre contends that the Government failed to conduct a comprehensive equality impact assessment.
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This law mandates public bodies to consider how their decisions and policies will impact individuals with various 'protected characteristics', including age and disability. If the review is successful, the payment could still be distributed this year, reports Birmingham Live.
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Labour's Rachael Maskell posed a parliamentary question to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting, asking if he had requested the Chief Medical Officer to perform an impact assessment of introducing means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment. Andrew Gwynne, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care, has now responded.
In a response to Ms Maskell, Mr Gwynne highlighted the government's commitment to supporting vulnerable households through the colder months: "We will continue to stand behind vulnerable households this winter. Support includes delivering the £150 Warm Home Discount for low-income households from October 2024, extending the Household Support Fund with £421 million, to ensure local authorities can support vulnerable people and families, and ensuring around 1.3 million households in England and Wales will continue to receive up to £300 in Winter Fuel Payments."
He further emphasised the government's dedication to pensioners: "Through our commitment to protect the triple lock, over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their State Pension increase by more than £1,000 over the next five years. The fuel poverty strategy for England, Sustainable warmth: protecting vulnerable households in England, was published in February 2021."
Mr Gwynne also mentioned the ongoing review of the current strategy and inter-departmental collaboration: "The 2021 strategy is currently under review. The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Department for Energy and Net Zero to ensure that fuel poor and health vulnerable households are supported."
He pointed out a significant issue regarding unclaimed benefits: It is estimated that 880,000 pensioners who would be eligible for Pensions Credit do not claim it.
The equality analysis has highlighted that officials expect an additional 100,000 individuals to take up Pension Credit this year, yet approximately 780,000 will still not receive it. The document states: "This policy will reduce the numbers entitled from around 12m to 1.7m in the 1st year, dropping to 1.2m by the end of the scorecard period."
It further details the demographic most affected: "This policy will have the highest proportional impact on couples, and a marginally greater impact on men than women. Older pensioners are less likely to be affected, but those which are affected will lose larger amounts."
Moreover, the document notes: "Those most affected by the policy are disproportionately likely to be in couples rather than single, and marginally disproportionately likely to be male. This is because these groups are less likely to be on the lowest incomes."
It concludes with a stark observation: "However, across all assessed characteristics those affected by this policy greatly outnumber those unaffected."
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