New calls to scrap Winter Fuel Payment changes until Pension Credit is claimed by everyone entitled to benefit
dailyrecord.co.ukSome 22 charities have sent an open letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves calling on her to urgently review the change to the Winter Fuel Payment for older people.
The eligibility rule change announced by Ms Reeves on July 29 means that people aged 66 and over who don’t receive Pension Credit - or a small number of other means-tested benefits - will no longer receive automatic annual payments of between £100 and £300 to help with energy costs through the winter.
Right now, Pension Credit has a low take-up of just 63 per cent, meaning up to 1.2 million older people who are eligible will now miss out on this additional support.
Many more are just above the level of eligibility for Pension Credit but still can’t afford to pay their bills. Independent Age, one of the charities leading the call for the decision to be reversed, is urging the Chancellor to delay making any changes until Pension Credit is claimed by everyone who may be entitled to it.
Read more on dailyrecord.co.uk
