Pensioners Have Been Urged to Claim as Winter Fuel Payment Cut

Hundreds of thousands of pensioners are being urged to apply for the Pension Top-up, which will shield them from government cuts to energy benefits.

An estimated 880,000 low-income pensioner households eligible for the Pension Top-up are not currently claiming it, and the deadline is set to expire.

The government says the supplement is worth an average of £3,900 a year, but it also provides other financial support, such as a winter heating benefit.

Ministers will cut heating cost benefits for 10 million pensioners in England and Wales this autumn, but will not cut those who receive the Pension Top-up or other means-tested benefits.

The measure is expected to reduce the number of pensioners receiving the Winter Heating Benefit from 11.4 million to 1.5 million and save the Treasury £1.4 billion this financial year. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the payment is a devolved matter.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the new Labour government had been forced to make “difficult decisions”.

“But I am determined to ensure low-income pensioners are supported” she said.

However, Laura Trott, the Conservative shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, claimed the government was “trying to claim a duty to pensioners which is ridiculous”.

She added: “Instead of desperately trying to mitigate the impact of her own decisions, the chancellor should come clean and publish an internal impact assessment so the public can really see the harms of this policy.”

Fuel Payment Cuts

In July, chancellor Rachel Reeves claimed an audit of public spending she commissioned from Treasury officials revealed her “inexcusable” economic legacy.

This led to a series of decisions to reduce spending, including a cut to the winter heating benefit, which has cost pensioner families between £100 and £300 every winter.

Pensioners earning less than £218.15 a week for a single or £332.95 a week for a couple should check if they are entitled to a pension benefit.

Support for housing costs, council tax, TV licences and a winter heating benefit of up to £300 is available on top of benefits.

The government’s new Pension Benefit campaign aims to identify households not receiving the benefit and encourage them to apply by December 21.

This is the last date to apply for the Pension Benefit retrospectively to receive the winter heating supplement.

About 1.4 million pensioners already receive the Pension Benefit, but it is estimated that up to 880,000 eligible households have not applied.

Many people mistakenly believe they are ineligible, are excluded because of savings, or are unwilling to accept what they perceive as charity.

Information is also available on how to make a claim. There is also a phone line available on weekdays – 0800 99 1234.