Pictured Terence Pape, 79, a pensioner from Beverley who has recently had heart surgery speaks the t (Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)
A devastated pensioner has accused of wanting him to “die” following the controversial axing of the .
Terence Pape, 79 and his wife Irene, 78 have both had heart surgery in the last year and are on medication that they say makes it difficult for them to stay warm.
The couple, from , are just two out of 2.5million pensioners across the UK who have been stripped of the lifeline £300 benefit by the , a move which will force the most vulnerable to choose between heating and eating.
Mr Pape, a former from Hull said: “I think Starmer would be quite pleased if we die and are no longer a problem.
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Terence Pape, 79, a former RAF serviceman, recently had heart surgery and is still recovering (Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)
“I mean that, I really don’t know how we will keep warm and survive through the cold winter months.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer has defended the policy, insisting that it is crucial if the government is to address the “£22 billion black hole” left by the , but has struggled to convince people within her own party of the merits of the policy.
Labour’s large majority allowed them to defeat a Conservative amendment to block the removal of the payment, but the from the vote and spoke volumes of the mood within the parliamentary party.
It is estimated that the removal of the payment will save the government around £1 billion, a fraction of the black hole being used to justify it.
At this week’s party conference, several Labour MPs, including the Prime Minister, have defended the cuts, claiming that
Mr Pape’s wife has also had surgery recently and the pair struggle to stay warm due to their medication (Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)
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The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has previously disputed the claims, with Mr Pape also unconvinced.
Mr Pape hit back: “The would have protected the and kept the so I think he is talking rubbish.
“It is too simplistic and does not factor in energy prices rises or other variables – we all know that pensioners will be worse off.”
The government has been widely criticised for not conducting an impact assessment prior to introducing the policy, meaning the effects on those elderly people who relied on the payment is not thoroughly understood.
Mr Pape said: “We can’t move about like we used to and struggle to keep warm. I’ve already had to put the heating on because of our blood thinning and cardio medication.”
The Labour unions recently lost a non-binding vote at the party conference to reverse the policy. (Image: Getty)
highlights that some pensioners, such as Mr and Mrs Pape, require their heating to be on due to illness whilst others might need to use a washing machine daily, such as those with incontinence issues.
Caroline Abrahams CBE, Charity Director at Age UK who have launched a petition to pressure the government to halt the changes said: “We’re deeply disappointed, but not surprised, that the vote to brutally means-test was passed.
“We just don’t think it’s fair to remove the payment from the 2.5 million pensioners on low incomes who badly need it, and to do it so quickly this winter, at the same time as energy bills are rising by 10 percent.”
Labour has held firm on their plans to remove the universal benefit despite unions winning a non-binding vote at the Labour Party conference calling on the government to reverse the policy.
The vote comes as a blow to Labour leadership, who have seen their first party conference in power dogged by fury over MP’s declarations of gifts