Victoria Atkins, Member of Parliament for the Louth & Horncastle constituency, joined Conservative colleagues this morning on College Green in Westminster to call on the government to think again about means-testing the winter fuel payment.
The group gathered together ahead of handing in a petition protesting the cut the Winter Fuel Payment which takes away £300 from pensioners nationwide to the Labour Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, a day before she delivers her first Budget.
253,564 people have signed the Conservatives’ petition against this legislation, which Ms Atkins has herself signed and promoted in recent weeks.
This legislation, which the Government’s own advisory body has stated is not fit for purpose, is a complete reversal of 14 years of rising living standards for pensioners under the Conservatives.
Despite Labour Party research indicating this change would see 4,000 pensioners to die, the Government has refused to publish an impact assessment detailing the full damage of the policy. The Conservatives have already dragged Labour to two votes on this issue in Parliament, including the decision by Labour MPs to cover up the true impact of the policy. Today is a continuation of the Conservatives’ broader campaign against Labour’s cut.
It also reneges on pledges made during the General Election campaign, in which Ministers consistently stated there were ‘no plans’ to change pensioner benefits.
In spite of Labour’s lack of transparency, various independent analyses have shown five in six pensioners living below or just above the poverty line are set to lose their Winter Fuel Payments.
Victoria Atkins said: “That over a quarter of a million people have signed this petition shows the strength of feeling that people have about this cruel cut to pensioners winter fuel payments.
“When I asked the Department for Work and Pensions back in September, they estimated that 26,570 pensioners in the Louth & Horncastle constituency would have their winter fuel payment withdrawn.
I have been contacted by constituents about this, more any other issue this year. Many pensioners are worried about having to make the decision between heating and eating this winter. The Chancellor still has time ahead of tomorrow’s Budget to u-turn on this cruel and unnecessary choice and I urge her to do so.”
Mel Stride MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said:
“It is clear from the overwhelming support for this petition that there is deep anger about this cruel cut. Labour must stop this appalling policy at once.
“The basic unfairness of giving out billions to their union paymasters whilst removing £300 from many pensioners on £11,500, forcing them to choose between heating and eating, is completely unacceptable.
“The budget is the big opportunity now to reverse this callous policy. I hope for the sake of vulnerable pensioners this winter that Rachel Reeves does the right thing.”
