Anger at cuts to winter fuel payments

Changes to the winter fuel allowance made in the Budget despite rising energy prices have been strongly criticised by some groups who view them as Government cuts.

The Government is to scrap the temporary increase to the winter fuel payment of £50 for households with a pensioner aged up to 79 and £100 for ones with someone aged over 80 and revert to the previous level last seen in 2008/9.

The move has prompted the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) to express its outrage, claiming that George Osborne did not mention the plan in his statement, and that the cut was 'buried' in the documents released after his speech.

The temporary increase to the winter fuel payment was introduced in 2008/09 and was paid on top of the £200 for those aged up to 79 and £300 for those over 80.

'Older people will be very disappointed'

Commenting on the reduction in winter fuel payment Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director at Age UK, said: 'We appreciate that the core winter fuel payment has been retained in the face of huge financial pressures, but with energy prices continuing to escalate, many older people will be very disappointed that the additional payments given since 2008 will not be renewed.

'While the uplift was billed as a temporary measure, renewed annually, for those older people struggling to pay fuel bills, this is a question of semantics and they will view the measure as a cut.

'He should be ashamed'

Dot Gibson, NPC general secretary, said: 'It's a shabby way to treat Britain's older generation. If we really are all in this together, why is he going to take £100 off the winter fuel allowance for the oldest members of society at a time when fuel bills are rising and winter deaths amongst older people are a national scandal? He should be ashamed of his behaviour.'

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: 'Winter fuel payments will continue to be paid. However, the temporary increase will not be paid this winter.

'These payments remain a significant contribution to older people's winter fuel costs and we have permanently increased the cold weather payment from £8.50 a week to £25 a week.'

Age UK's Michelle Mitchell added: 'Latest data from Age UK’s Silver RPI measure shows that since 2008 older people have  experienced a rate of inflation on average 5% above headline measures and this is, in part, because the proportion of their income spent on food and fuel is higher than for other age groups.

'Those over 75, between last September and January spent an average of 7.1% of their income on fuel compared to 4% in the general population, so any help with paying fuel bills is greatly appreciated.

Copyright Press Association 2011