Lib Dems come out against Winter Fuel Payment cut to protect over 42,800 pensioners in Hull area

The Leader of Hull City Council, Cllr Mike Ross, has called on the Labour Government to U-turn on their plans to scrap Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners and will be putting pressure on the three Labour MPs in Hull to get pensioners a fair deal.

New analysis shows an estimated 42,842 pensioners across the three Hull constituencies are at risk of losing the £300 payment, which helps with heating bills in the cold winter months.

It comes as a Liberal Democrat motion in Parliament would protect local pensioners by blocking the government’s changes and restoring their winter fuel payments. It is set to be tabled as soon as Parliament returns next week and has been backed by all 72 Liberal Democrat MPs.

This is the estimated number of pensioners across Hull East, Hull North and Cottingham, and Hull West and Haltemprice who don't receive pension credit, and so will lose the winter fuel allowance under the government’s plans unless they receive other benefits. The figures were compiled by the House of Commons Library based on data from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Across the country, 11 million pensioners are set to lose their winter fuel payment under the government’s plans, including two million that the charity Age UK has said will struggle to afford their energy bills as a result. This is despite the average energy bill being set to rise by £149 a year from October.

The Hull Liberal Democrats are urging the government to think again to protect poorer and more vulnerable pensioners from being forced to choose between eating and heating this winter.

Hull Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Mike Ross said:

“I’ve heard from countless pensioners across Hull who are worried about losing this vital support and how they will afford their energy bills this winter. Labour MPs in our patch and their colleagues in Government need to think again. 

“Stripping support from many of the poorest pensioners in Hull just when energy bills are set to rise again is simply wrong. It could force vulnerable elderly people in our community to choose between eating and heating this winter.

“We’ll be putting pressure on the three Labour MPs in Hull to block these plans as soon as Parliament returns.

“We all know the new government faces difficult choices after the appalling mess left by the Conservatives. But vulnerable pensioners in our community shouldn’t have support stripped away from them just weeks after a new government promised change."