The reinstatement of the Winter Fuel Payment has sparked criticism after experts and politicians warned that two vulnerable groups of state pensioners remain excluded from the new eligibility rules. Low-income families with children and disabled people have been identified as those missing out on targeted support amid rising energy costs.
While the UK government’s recent move to restore payments to low-income pensioners has been welcomed in part, there is growing concern that broader support is needed to prevent financial distress among those most at risk during the colder months.
Government Restores Winter Fuel Payment but Gaps Remain
The Labour government has reintroduced Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners on low incomes without requiring them to claim Pension Credit, a move described by Citizens Advice as a “straightforward” step that will benefit approximately nine million pensioners across the UK.
Tom MacInnes, Policy Director at Citizens Advice, stated that although the decision brings “vital support,” it fails to address the wider landscape of energy hardship. He warned that households with children, especially single-parent families, and disabled individuals are still not being considered under the revised scheme.
“These groups will continue to face significant financial stress unless further action is taken,” MacInnes said, underlining the need for a more inclusive support strategy that targets all those vulnerable to energy poverty, not just pensioners.
According to reports from Express.co.uk, the lack of provision for these groups has raised questions about the government’s broader commitment to tackling the cost of living crisis fairly and comprehensively.
Political Backlash Over Austerity Measures and Benefit Restrictions
The response from opposition parties has been sharply critical. Maggie Chapman, Social Security Spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, condemned Labour’s decision to initially cut the Winter Fuel Payment, describing it as an act of austerity that disproportionately affected older citizens during a period of elevated energy prices.
“Families will have lost loved ones, and illnesses will have been caused over the winter months because of the brutal decision by Rachel Reeves and the Labour Government,” she stated.
Chapman further criticised the government’s refusal to reverse the two-child benefit cap, labelling the policy as a driver of child poverty across working-class communities.
The Labour Party has also been accused of imposing “regressive austerity” that places an undue burden on disabled people, with MacInnes urging the government to reconsider what he described as “huge cuts” to disability benefits.
