The Winter Fuel Payment scheme will provide a £200 payment to hundreds of thousands of pensioners later this year.
£200 Winter Fuel Payment for Eligible Pensioners
This year, the Winter Fuel Payment will only be available to those with the lowest incomes. Previously, all those over 65 were eligible for the payment, but the new Labour Government has changed the criteria.
It has insisted that many higher-income pensioners do not require the payout and that assistance should be directed towards those in greatest need.
Those born before September 22, 1958, will be eligible for the £200 Winter Fuel Payment if they qualify for other benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, and Income Support.
People over the age of 80 may be eligible for up to £300. The Winter Fuel Payment is intended to assist more deprived pensioners with their energy expenditures during the colder winter months, when they will be need to use their heating more frequently.
The funds are typically distributed automatically to people who meet the requirements and are expected to arrive between mid-November and the holiday season. Some organisations have criticised the government’s plan to reduce contributions this year.
Winter Fuel Payment Cuts Draw Backlash
While the wealthiest pensioners would no longer get payments, advocates believe that many people who are not very wealthy but no longer meet the threshold will lose out. Age UK has started a petition opposing the government’s measures.
It stated: “The Government has announced that the Winter Fuel Payment will become means-tested in England and Wales. As many as two million pensioners who badly need the money to stay warm this winter will not receive it.
“Sign our petition to save the Winter Fuel Payment for the poorest pensioners.”
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Winter fuel payments should be awarded to every pensioner and not just for the choosen few ,no pensioner will ever trust a Labour government again
I’m on a low state pension, just 3.00 over the threshold for pension credit, although those on pension credit gets the same money each week as it tops up pension to the same as everyone else they get the allowance and I don’t, on same money doesn’t make sense.
I voted for Labour I’m a pensioner will never vote for them again
In today’s Britain, I firmly believe that ALL financial benefits should be means tested
however the threshold for winter fuel payment
should be raised to a sensible and fair level. The
ten pound Christmas bonus should be abolished.
We worked all our days.
All pensioners that have paid in to the system should get it, a lot of people have worked all their lives and paid all their taxes for 30 years or more, how can this be. When people can just walk into this country and get everything its just not right….
I agree with the other comments, but what is not brought up is, those on benefits like pension credit also do not or pay very little council tax, water rates, and get free dental and optical treatment, whereas we have to pay the full amount, even when just above the amount you can claim pension credit. The so Labour government are for the people of the UK, what a load of cr##. They give massive pay rises to those on £60k+
But for pensioners on £10k+ get slammed.
Where is guy fawkes?
Surely if people don’t switch on heating they will end up in hospital or even worse die it will cost just as much either way only if old people die will labour profit the country run by idiots again do they really know how oap live shame on you miss reeves
The government should give every pensioner the winter fuel payment not just those on pension credit universal credit and disabled people. I am a 67 year old pensioner born in 1956 I just missed out when I turned 66 6th Oct 2022 but just started getting my 1st wnter fuel payment in 2023 which did help with my heating and lights during the winter months in 2023 .this year I will be struggling to keep my bungalow warm and cosy this coming winter I get the full state pension which is £221.20 so I will be really be struggling this winter with out this winter fuel payment .shame on the labour government for scrapping this winter fuel payment for most pensioners except pension credit .we should all get this payment.
I believe there are a whole group of people who do not have high incomes who are suffering with the cost of living completely abolish the meagre Xmas bonus and help these struggling pensioners. We pay our older generation the worst pension in Europe . Labour you are not the party for the people anymore
all pension should get it needs more £200 not enough when everything keep going up Labour should beshamed of them self doing this to has not fair
Pensioners have worked for everything and should continue to get the winter fuel allowance this so unfair people will die is this what the government wants so they don’t have to pay pension start looking after them they earned everything they get it not just handed on a plate like u looking after other people
I voted Labour too and now wished I hadn’t I’m on my own and disabled and on a low income I’m a pensioner the cold weather payments were a God send especially in the winter months I don’t know how lots of people are going to cope without the cold weather payments I know I took will struggle thank Labour not a people government as they promised
Our older generation has put into this country for many years. We need to look after them, as I was brought up to respect our elders.
I’m 52 ex Armed Forces with server Mental PTSD and ADHD health issues and server Depression server lorning difficulties and IBS Gastro reflux and it will have a detrimental effect on my mental health condition if everyone loss winter fuel payment’s
Myself and husband worked all our working lives we do not get pension credit because are pension is £2 a week more than we need to qualify for it it’s so unfair that they have taken away our winter fuel payments it’s going to be hard to keep warm this winter without that extra money
Senior citizens have worked all their lives contributing to this country .They are paid a small pension unlike other EU countries . This country and government wants to be ashamed of it selves . Pensioners should be looked after well . If I had a choice my families taxes and NI contributions would go to give my parents and grandparents a wonderful retirement fund . This is what I would like to see happen . We pay high taxes where does our families taxes go ? I would love to have this information . My mum would be really comfortable if this would happen . Pensioners should be living a great life now not struggling and watching the pennies . You work all your lives bring up your children work over retirement struggle then die early because of hardship This country needs to get their priorities right pensioners have standards they do not deserve this treatment they’ve always paid into the system they should not be meanstested.we need a government who looks after people in this country especially our grandparents /parents .
Totally Totally disgusting how our pensioners are going to lose there winter fuel payment because majority of us are £3 over the threshold therefore not only do lose our payment but We also have to pay full Council tax,Energy bills,and housing costs Because of the £3 over threshold we are not entitled to Pension Credit or other benefits so how can this possibly be fair??None of this was mentioned in the Manifesto of this pathetic Labour Government because they knew they wouldn’t of been elected.There well be a lot more punishment for us pensioners simply because they don’t care there only interested in themselves there be warm in there homes while we struggle to make ends meet and keep warm. Shameful lot.