Winter warning: Ms Abrahams has hit out at the ‘brutality’ of slashing Winter Fuel Payments (Image: PA)
The “brutal” decision to axe OAP winter fuel payments has sparked widespread panic over rising energy costs, analysis reveals.
Charity Age UK says 6.6 million pensioners will be forced to turn down or reduce the hours they use heating at home and a further 1.2 million slash the number of hot meals they eat to manage financially.
The stark reality facing those who have had their £300 annual payments snatched from them comes after the Department for Work and Pensions revealed 100,000 will be plunged into poverty in 2026/27 as a result of the benefit cull cuts.
Campaigners say Britain is sleepwalking towards a crisis where older people, already on low and modest incomes, face a perfect storm of extremely high energy bills and ill health.
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “For those without much money behind them, energy bills have become a source of real fear.
“Knowing they were going to receive their took some of the anxiety of unaffordable fuel bills away and this universal entitlement was highly valued by pensioners as a result. It’s quite clear that without it this year, really significant numbers of older people will be showering or bathing less, turning their heating down or off altogether, and in some cases eating fewer hot meals.
“The Government’s policy change is already causing older people hardship and undermining their health and, as we get deeper into winter, realistically things are likely to get worse.”
Eat or heat: millions of frail and vulnerable OAPs face a harsh winter without a fuel handout (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
New research for the charity found 77 per cent of people aged 66+ – equal to 9.2 million – spent their payment on fuel-related costs like heating homes, hot water and running household appliances last year.
More than one-third of older people – equal to 4.4 million – said they would find it difficult to manage financially without their WFP., rising to 53% for pensioners who are not currently eligible for the cash payment this year but who are receiving one or more other pensioner benefits like council tax support, housing benefit, or carers allowance – indicating they are either likely to be on a low income or living in difficult circumstances due to disability, ill health or being a carer.
OAPs have until December 21 to claim for pension credit and also qualify for a WFP this year. Applicants are entitled to ask for their claim to be backdated for three months as it is not done automatically by the ensuring, if successful, they get a WFP payment.
A petition urging the Government to halt the hated cash grab – opposed by many of its own MPs – has now reached 600,000 signatures.
Ms Abrahams said: “It’s no surprise to us, and it really shouldn’t be to anyone else either, that the great majority of older people spent their payment on energy-related costs last year. With fuel prices having gone up so much compared to five or ten years ago, even older people who expected to be relatively comfortable in retirement have been impacted and forced to tighten their belts.
“Once again, we repeat our call to the Government to recognise the damage their decision to brutally means-test is causing millions of older people and to bring in measures to soften the blow.”
Baroness Altmann, a Peer and former Pensions Minister, called the Labour cash grab ‘crazy’ (Image: Ros Altmann)
Baroness Ros Altmann, former Pensions Minister, said: “Treasury estimates of a 3.5% rise in next April cannot compensate the poorest pensioners for losing £200 or £300 this November.
“The poorest and oldest will lose hundreds of pounds now, and promising them a few extra pounds a week next spring is cold comfort. Sadly, some will not survive through the coming months.
“The additional money in 2025 will be paid to every pensioner regardless of need, but winter fuel money is being taken away from both those who don’t need it and those who do.
“The Government said it had to save money and that many pensioners were getting hundreds of pounds they didn’t really need, to justify its shock decision, but it has also taken the money from millions of the poorest pensioners too. These are the ones who will be hit by the loss of winter payments and who will not be helped by a few pounds a week coming between April 2025 and 2026.
“The Government needs to think again before this dangerous hasty decision causes real harm this winter.”