New DWP Winter Fuel Payment update for millions of State Pensioners

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have ruled out reversing the decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments amid warnings by Labour backbenchers about its impact on vulnerable pensioners.

More than 10 million people over State Pension will miss out on the annual heating help this winter, however, during DWP questions in Parliament on Monday, Pensions minister Emma Reynolds blamed the Conservative government’s £22 billion black hole for the decision.

Ms Reynolds urged older people to submit a new claim for Pension Credit before Saturday, December 21 to ensure a backdated Winter Fuel Payment - if their claim is successful.

Labour backbencher Neil-Duncan Jordan, who represents Poole, told MPs: “The poorest pensioners in our society are those who are eligible for the Pension Credit but don’t claim it, or just a few pounds above the threshold and they miss out on passported support.” He continued: “Means testing by its very nature is simply not the best way to get help to those who need it most, so will the minister reconsider the recent decision to means-test the winter fuel allowance?”The DWP Minister replied: “We won’t reconsider that decision because in a very tight fiscal environment when we inherited a £22 billion black hole from the party opposite, we had to take some very tough decisions.”Labour MP Rachael Maskell said people in her York Central constituency were going to “really struggle this winter” because of the cut.