Pensioners set to pay £500 more a year on energy

Pensioners in York are set to pay £500 more a year on their energy bills due to the Labour government’s decisions to remove the winter fuel allowance and increase the energy price cap.

The decision to make Pensioners pay more has come under scrutiny by York’s Liberal Democrat Councillors, and Age UK.

Age UK have warned:

“We strongly oppose the means-testing of the Winter Fuel Payment because it means as many as 2 million pensioners who badly need the money to stay warm this winter will not receive it and will be in serious trouble as a result.

Means-testing the Winter Fuel Payment, with no notice and no compensatory measures to protect poor and vulnerable pensioners, is the wrong policy choice, and one that will potentially jeopardise the health as well as the finances of millions of older people this winter – the last thing either they or the NHS needs.”

Councillor Andrew Hollyer said:

“The decision to remove the winter fuel payment to millions of pensioners across the UK and here in York whilst hiking the energy price cap by £150 will result in more pensioners needlessly being put at risk.

“No one should make the difficult decision to heat their home or put food on the table, least of all pensioners. These decisions will have disastrous consequences for some of our most vulnerable residents, and will put at risk the social care services the Council provides.”