“Forced to Make Dangerous Cutbacks” How will older people be affected by Labour’s Cut to Winter Fuel Payments ?
Charities and organisations which represent older people have warned Labour MPs that cutting the winter fuel payment to pensioners would affect hundreds of thousands of Scots. Before the vote, Age Scotland wrote to all 37 of Scotland’s Labour MPs not to vote for the cut. Age Scotland has been highly critical of the Chancellor’s decision to…
Charities and organisations which represent older people have warned Labour MPs that cutting the winter fuel payment to pensioners would affect hundreds of thousands of Scots.
Before the vote, Age Scotland wrote to all 37 of Scotland’s Labour MPs not to vote for the cut. Age Scotland has been highly critical of the Chancellor’s decision to limit the Winter Fuel Payment to those in receipt of Pension Credit and remove it from almost 300,000 pensioners living in fuel poverty.
The charity asked the Scottish Labour MPs to put their constituents needs before their party. That call fell on deaf ears and party did come first for Scotland’s Labour MPs.
Adam Stachura, policy director at Age Scotland, said:
“As things stand, hundreds of thousands of pensioners in Scotland on the lowest incomes and living in fuel poverty will not receive the vital financial support they counted on this winter. These aren’t the shoulders to bear the brunt of budget cuts.
“Losing £200 or £300 from their State Pension package this winter will make life much harder for thousands of their constituents who are already struggling to manage their finances. Many will face impossible choices which will seriously affect their health.”
SNP MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick has also condemned UK Labour MPs for voting in favour of cutting the Winter Fuel Payment in a vote which took place in the UK Parliament on 10th September, accusing politicians of putting party before pensioners.
This follows calls from the SNP, other political parties, and third sector organisations to u-turn on the decision – which looks set to see almost 900,000 pensioners across Scotland miss out on the £300 payment this winter.
The UK Labour Government won its vote to cut the payments to all pensioners by 348 votes to 228 – a majority of 120. Only one Labour MP, Jon Trickett who represents Normanton and Hemsworth in Yorkshire, voted against the government, on what he said could “be a matter of life and death” for his constituents. Fifty two Labour MPs were absent or abstained from the vote – which is basically the same as voting for the cut as it ensured it would get passed. A full list of those who voted in Scotland for the cut in Scotland is listed below.
Emma Roddick said:
“The Labour Government was elected on the promise of change, but has instead put party before pensioners, who are now paying the price for Labour’s dishonesty and commitment to matching Tory fiscal rules.
“Every single SNP MP rightly voted against Labour austerity and will continue to oppose further cuts while using our very limited powers to support those who need it most and stand up for the people of Scotland.
“Given the severe weather folk experience in the Highlands and Islands and the level of fuel poverty in Orkney, people will feel the impacts of this decision even more.
“I reiterate the SNP’s calls on the Labour Government to see sense and reverse this decision before Scottish pensioners are forced to endure a harsh winter without help.”
Independent Age is a national charity focused on improving the lives of people facing financial hardship in later life.
In response to the House of Commons voting in favour of cutting the Winter Fuel Payment, Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson, CBE said:
“People in later life living in financial hardship will be rightly concerned that, despite mounting public pressure about the impact on older people on the lowest incomes, the UK Government will continue with its plans to means test the Winter Fuel Payment from this year. It’s clear that making this decision now means many people in later life struggling in poverty will be forced to make dangerous cutbacks.
“The Chancellor still has time to reassess. Even with today’s vote, the UK Government can show it is listening to the concerns of older people in poverty, and delay this policy change until more older people start receiving Pension Credit. Boosting take-up is complex and will take time, the latest take-up figures show that up to 1.2 million older people could be missing out on this financial entitlement. They will already be living on a low income as they are eligible for Pension Credit, but now they will have even less money to live on this winter.
“We are also concerned about the large group of older people that just miss out on Pension Credit. Many of them are in financial hardship and do not have enough money to live well, but will still have their income cut at an already challenging time of year with energy prices on the rise.
“In the short term we hope the UK Government listens to the evidence being shared, and doesn’t means-test the Winter Fuel Payment now. Long-term there must be financial security for all of us as we age. We urge the UK Government to lead a review where all major parties come together and agree on what an adequate income in older age is, then ensure that everybody receives it so that no one lives in poverty in later life.”
How did Scotland’s MPs vote ?
For cutting the Winter Fuel Payment
Zubir Ahmed
Labour
Glasgow South West
Douglas Alexander
Labour
Lothian East
Scott Arthur
Labour
Edinburgh South West
Richard Baker
Labour
Glenrothes and Mid Fife
Johanna Baxter
Labour
Paisley and Renfrewshire South
Maureen Burke
Labour
Glasgow North East
Irene Campbell
Labour
North Ayrshire and Arran
Torcuil Crichton
Labour
Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Graeme Downie
Labour
Dunfermline and Dollar
Patricia Ferguson
Labour
Glasgow West
Alan Gemmell
Labour
Central Ayrshire
Tracy Gilbert
Labour
Edinburgh North and Leith
John Grady
Labour
Glasgow East
Lillian Jones
Labour
Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Chris Kane
Labour
Stirling and Strathallan
Brian Leishman
Labour
Alloa and Grangemouth
Douglas McAllister
Labour
West Dunbartonshire
Martin McCluskey
Labour
Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West
Blair McDougall
Labour
East Renfrewshire
Gordon McKee
Labour
Glasgow South
Frank McNally
Labour
Coatbridge and Bellshill
Kirsty McNeill
Labour
Midlothian
Chris Murray
Labour
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
Ian Murray
Labour
Edinburgh South
Katrina Murray
Labour
Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch
Pamela Nash
Labour
Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke
Gregor Poynton
Labour
Livingston
Martin Rhodes
Labour
Glasgow North
Michael Shanks
Labour
Rutherglen
Elaine Stewart
Labour
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
Kirsteen Sullivan
Labour
Bathgate and Linlithgow
Alison Taylor
Labour
Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Imogen Walker
Labour
Hamilton and Clyde Valley
Melanie Ward
Labour
Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
Against Cutting the Winter Fuel Payment
Kirsty Blackman
Scottish National Party
Aberdeen North
Andrew Bowie
Conservative
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardin
Alistair Carmichael
Liberal Democrat
Orkney and Shetland
John Cooper
Conservative
Dumfries and Galloway
Harriet Cross
Conservative
Gordon and Buchan
Dave Doogan
Scottish National Party
Angus and Perthshire Glens
Stephen Flynn
Scottish National Party
Aberdeen South
Stephen Gethins
Scottish National Party
Arbroath and Broughty Ferry
Christine Jardine
Liberal Democrat
Edinburgh West
John Lamont
Conservative
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Chris Law
Scottish National Party
Dundee Central
Graham Leadbitter
Scottish National Party
Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey
Seamus Logan
Scottish National Party
Aberdeenshire North and Moray East
Angus MacDonald
Liberal Democrat
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
David Mundell
Conservative
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweedale
Susan Murray
Liberal Democrat
Mid Dunbartonshire
Brendan O’Hara
Scottish National Party
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
Jamie Stone
Liberal Democrat
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Pete Wishart
Scottish National Party
Perth and Kinross-shire
Did not vote
Euan Stainbank
Labour
Falkirk
Kenneth Stevenson
Labour
Airdrie and Shotts
Across the UK as a whole millions of pensioners will no longer get the winter fuel payment. For many this will become a public health issue as they are forced to turn down and turn off heating in some of the rooms in their homes.
3 responses to ““Forced to Make Dangerous Cutbacks” How will older people be affected by Labour’s Cut to Winter Fuel Payments ?”
Tom Sharp
I think you will find it was the SNP who made the decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland. It only took a month for them to transferred blame from the Conservatives to Labour for all their fiscal incompetence. If it wasn’t so tragic the depth to which the SNP have reduced this country, you would have to laugh at their rhetoric.
They would not have to blame the Sources or make cuts if the Tories and now Labour had integrity instead of a hidden agenda, to stick to manifesto pledges before elections instead of hiding their real intentions and implement them in a month after being elected. With no prior warning for Scottish and NI governments to adjust their already stretched planned budgets on Labour #2 Austerity.
Leave a Reply