Winter fuel

Liberal Democrats in High Peak  have  said they are disappointed but not surprised that the constituency’s Labour MP failed to back a motion in Parliament to block the government’s plans to scrap Winter Fuel Payments for most pensioners.

New analysis shows an estimated 17,548 pensioners resident in High Peak now face the prospect of a cold winter after losing the £300 payment, which helps with heating bills in the cold winter months.

This is the estimated number of pensioners in the constituency who don’t receive pension credit, and so will lose the winter fuel allowance under the government’s plans unless they receive other benefits. The figures were compiled by the House of Commons Library based on data from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Across the country 11 million pensioners are set to lose their winter fuel payment under the government’s plans, including two million that the charity Age UK has said will struggle to afford their energy bills as a result. This is despite the average energy bill being set to rise by £149 a year from October.

Liberal Democrat spokesperson for High Peak, David Lomax, said: Pensioners across High Peak are worried about losing this vital support and how they will afford their energy bills this winter.

“Stripping support from many of the poorest pensioners in High Peak just when energy bills are set to rise again is simply wrong. It could force vulnerable elderly people in our community to choose between eating and heating this winter. And anybody who has lived in High Peak for some time would know just how cold our winters can be”.

David Lomax, Spokesperson for High Peak Liberal Democrats