Rebecca Smith MP, Member of Parliament for South West Devon, has driven home the impact of Labour’s cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment, calling it “completely immoral” in a recent Parliament speech.
South West Devon is among the hardest hit constituencies by Labour's decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payment. On Wednesday, 12th February, Rebecca revealed that almost 22,000 local pensioners have had their Winter Fuel Payment pulled, with only around 1,600 eligible for the Pension Credit substitute. Single pensioners who get by on as little as £11,344 (less than £1,000 a month) are no longer eligible for the energy payments. The disabled and those with modest savings are also going cold this winter.
Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate, Rebecca Smith MP, Member of Parliament for South West Devon, said:
As other Members have said, among the more disappointing policy decisions the Government have made since they came into office is the decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners who are not in receipt of Pension Credit—that is the key point. The decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment has seen 10 million pensioners lose access to payments they were previously eligible for. [...]
My constituency of South West Devon is likely to be among the hardest hit. Previously just over 22,000 people received the Winter Fuel Payment, but now only about 1,600 would be eligible through Pension Credit. Some 21,301 pensioners in my constituency would lose out.
Many of us have had representations from constituents, and I want to particularly highlight single pensioners, who are the hardest hit in many cases. We have heard that some earning as little as £11,344—less than £1,000 a month—are no longer eligible for winter fuel payments. There is also an undue hit on the disabled and those whose modest savings lift them out of the bracket. That is completely immoral.
Announced in July 2024, one of the first decisions taken by the Labour Government was to reverse the Winter Fuel Payment which had kept pensioners warm for 27 years. Rebecca Smith MP has been a vocal critic of the Labour cuts and argues that the Government has not taken the time to assess the impact of the policy. She is also leading calls for the Government to widen access to Pension Credit for those who need it.
