Pensioners’ fuel allowance splits council

The heat has been turned up on the plight of Exeter pensioners faced with losing their winter fuel payments.

City councillors spent more than two hours debating their response to the Labour government plans to axe the Winter Fuel Allowance (WFA), which is worth up to £300 for every pensioner household.

The government wants to limit the payments to address its problems with public finances. Instead, it is encouraging older people to make sure they claim pension credit payments if they are entitled to them.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says too many pensioners receive payments they don’t need.

There were five separate votes during a city council debate during which tempers flared several times.

Cllr Michael Mitchell (Lib Dem, Duryard and St James) said more than 180,000 people in Devon, and more than 18,000 in Exeter, would have payments taken away.

“This is about the needs of a large group of our most vulnerable citizens,” he said, adding that there could be thousands of deaths this winter linked to fuel poverty. He said the government should pause and review the thresholds for claiming benefit.

“Pause it, think again, and look at the implications of what you are doing.”

But Cllr Duncan Wood (Lab, Pinhoe) said in many cases the allowance is put to the wrong uses.

“The intention of this allowance was to take away the unacceptable position where residents were forced to choose between heating and food,” he said. “But I have friends who spend the winter months in warmer countries, and they are still in receipt of their winter payments.

“Using it as a standard across-the-board payment is not really achieving what it was set up to do.

“It is not always given where it is needed.”

Cllr Anne Jobson (Con, St Loyes) accused the government of making a ‘mean-spirited decision’ and said the WFA could be taxed, rather than axed.

The Labour amendment, proposed by Cllr Marina Asvachin (Lab, Priory), said the government had set the threshold to qualify for the WFA far too low. It said it was also concerned that almost 900,000 pensioners around the country were eligible for pension credits but did not get them.

The council will now ask the chancellor to review the threshold and do more to tackle pensioner poverty. It will also ask for more help for older carers, and campaign to make sure pension credits are claimed by all those who are entitled to them.