“We know that the rise of energy prices has already forced the majority of older people to turn on the heating less, or avoid turning it on at all, and to wear more clothes in their house just to keep warm through recent winters even while in receipt of government support with their energy bills.“
Easton said the threshold for pension credit is below what is considered the minimum required for an acceptable standard of living, meaning many pensioners on low incomes are “already living precariously” and will “struggle to find hundreds of pounds more to keep their homes warm this winter”.
The government announced in July that winter fuel payments, which were typically paid to all pensioners over a certain age, will only be offered to the poorest this winter.
The payment of up to £300 will now only be paid to pensioners in receipt of pension credit and other means-tested benefits.
It is estimated that the move could save the government £1.5bn, and chancellor Rachel Reeves called it the “responsible thing to do” as the country faces a £20bn “black hole” in public finances left behind by the Conservative government.
However, charities fear it could come at a cost for the 10 million pensioners set to lose the winter fuel payment, as annual household energy bills are set to rise to an average of £1,717 from October, an increase of around £150.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK said: “We are incredibly worried that means-testing winter fuel payment will make poor pensioners poorer this winter, and that many sick and disabled pensioners will also lose the payment when they can ill afford to do so. Sadly, this government document comes to exactly the same conclusion.
“In the light of this information we believe the government is duty bound to bring forward additional measures at the budget to safeguard the poor, sick and disabled pensioners who their own analysis shows will lose their winter fuel payment this year and who will clearly struggle as a result – this or court disaster when the weather chills.”
MPs recently voted to cut the winter fuel payment after a Conservative motion to block it failed to pass in the House of Commons.
A total of 348 MPs backed the government’s plan to scrap the payment on 10 September, while 228 supported the opposition motion.
Easton said: “Older people are the most likely to live in the hardest to heat homes. The combination of low incomes and poor-quality homes will inevitably force many older people to take risks with their health this winter because they won’t be able to heat their homes to a safe level.
“The government needs to offset the potential risk for poor health, and even fatalities this winter from cold homes, by enabling as many people as possible who are eligible for pension credit and winter fuel payments to be signed up in time.”
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