'We have been betrayed’: Pensioners protest winter fuel payment cut

The move by the in-coming chancellor Rachel Reeves to exclude about 10 million UK pensioners from the £300 allowance has overshadowed Sir Keir Starmer’s first three months as prime minister.

It is emerging as the hottest issue both on the streets of the borough and even in the council chamber.

At September’s full meeting of the local authority, councillors agreed to write to the Government to ask for the threshold restricting the winter payments to be raised.

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Dozens of pensioners came out to protest the winter fuel cuts (Image: LDRS) Wigan’s Labour-controlled council has responded by advising those people eligible for pension credit who have not applied it to do so. So far, 4,000 people in the town who qualify have not submitted applications.

However, Independent CLLR Tony Whyte told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that he could understand why people are not applying for it.

“I’ve checked and the forms for claiming pension credit run to 23 pages and there 243 questions,” he said. “It’s designed to prevent people from claiming it and it puts a lot of elderly people off.”

The protest was organised by Independent councillor Maureen O’Bern. She said: “The pensioners in this town feel they have been betrayed. 

“People have are having to choose between eating and heating, and it’s a disgrace that Labour Government is doing this. 

“We’ve organised this protest because we believe pensioners should stick up for themselves. They’ve paid into the country all their lives.”

James Taylor (Image: LDRS) Army veteran James Taylor, 66, was one of the protesters. He said: “Any pensioner over the age of 85 is likely to have done National Service [when young men aged between 17 and 21 had to serve in the armed forces, ending in 1960].  Some 395 men died on national service or were casualties.

“Those pensioners have paid in blood for the right to claim their winter fuel allowance. This move by the government is appalling.”

Jill Gaskell, 62, is the daughter of a late former Labour Wigan councillor. She said: “I don’t know if my father would have agreed with what the Government is doing, but regardless of that, I would’ve been against it.

“There are people in Wigan terrified of putting their heating on.”

Kathy Grundy, a retired legal secretary, is also furious over the cut. “It’s just not fair,” she said. “I’m lucky, I paid into three private pension schemes and I’ve looked after myself, so I won’t be getting anything. But there are others who aren’t so fortunate, so I’m here to fight for them.”

Tracey Waddicor, 60, has just retired as a care worker. “I have been seeing the difference this making and the deprivation it is creating already,” she said. “I’ve seen people living in one room, trying to keep warm. A house is not a home with no heating. People will die as a result of this.”

21-year-old Jordan Gaskell joined the protest (Image: LDRS) Jordan Gaskell, 21, said he had come out to support the elderly. “It going to take a long time, but one day, hopefully, I will be elderly. The young should stick up for the old. We should all stick together.”

David Hull, 75, said: “I’ve lost my winter fuel allowance. I can’t believe that Labour’s been in for such a short time and done something so bad. I am extremely angry.”

The winter fuel allowance is a tax-free annual payment to help pensioners pay their winter heating bills, currently totalling £200 per eligible household where the oldest person is under 80, and £300 for households containing a person aged 80 or over.   

It was first introduced in winter 1997 under Tony Blair’s Labour government. Back then it was £20 (or £50 for those in receipt of means-tested benefits), but it has steadily increased over the years.

In the years since, pensioners’ incomes have been protected by the triple lock guarantee introduced by David Cameron’s government.

Nonetheless, experts have called the announcement a blow to struggling pensioners, warning it could leave vulnerable older people in dire straits financially.

Tracey Waddicor joined the protests (Image: LDRS) A government spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting pensioners – with millions set to see their state pension rise by up to £1,700 this parliament through our commitment to the Triple Lock.

“Over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment, and our drive to boost pension credit take up has already seen a 152 per cent increase in claims.

“Many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount to help with energy bills over winter while our extension of the Household Support Fund will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.”