HALF of pensioners losing Winter Fuel Payment can only afford to heat one room

Half of pensioners losing the Winter Fuel Payment can now only afford to heat one room this winter, according to a survey by charity Independent Age.

Winter Fuel Payment is an annual benefit worth between £100 and £300, meant to help retirees pay higher energy bills in the colder months.

But from this winter the benefit will only be given to those getting pension credit, or other means-tested benefits, under changes made by chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Independent Age has found that 49 per cent of older people in England who will lose their Winter Fuel Payment said they were planning to only heat and spend time in one room. 

One in five were already planning to do this but now an additional 29 per cent said they will resort to this measure because of the change.

Wearing outdoor clothes indoors to stay warm will be done by 43 per cent of people losing their Winter Fuel Payment. 

Additionally, 44 per cent of older people (65+) in England think losing the Winter Fuel Payment will harm their physical health.

Charity Age UK estimates that 2.5million pensioners ‘who badly need the money to stay warm this winter’ will not receive it and be in ‘serious trouble’. 

A group of retirees and organisations who support them will deliver a petition of 500,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street and the Treasury on 16 October.

The petition wants to challenge the Government’s plan to means test Winter Fuel Payment, and has been signed by groups including 38 Degrees, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, Independent Age and Silver Voices.

Latest government figures estimate that only 65 per cent of eligible older people receive Pension Credit, meaning up to 760,000 eligible households will lose the Winter Fuel Payment this year.

Independent Age chief executive Joanna Elson said: ‘Tying the Winter Fuel Payment to Pension Credit now will see far too many older people fall through the cracks.

‘Pension Credit still has a stubbornly low take up and in addition there is a large group of older people living just above the entitlement’s threshold, sometimes by just a few pounds.’

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