City council to debate winter fuel payment cuts

The motion to Worcester City Council claims cuts to the benefit will cause fuel poverty

Thousands of pensioners could be pushed into fuel poverty by cuts to winter fuel payments, according to a councillor in Worcester.

The city council will debate a motion on Tuesday from Liberal Democrat Karen Holmes, saying that 89.4% of pensioners in the area will lose the benefit

It stated that the threshold at which the allowance will be cut is far too low, and called on the council to raise awareness of extra payments like Pension Credits.

The prime minister has said the measure was necessary to stabilise the economy and that the government was putting "mitigations" in place.

Sir Keir Starmer added that Labour's commitment to the triple lock - which guarantees pensions rise in line with average wages, inflation or by 2.5% - would ensure an increase in pension payments that would "outstrip any loss of payment".

More than 15,000 pensioners in Worcester would be affected by the change, according to Holmes' motion.

It notes that the Energy Price Cap, limiting the price charged for electricity and gas, is also due to rise by 10% in October.

The councillor said this, paired with the loss of winter fuel payments, could “push thousands of local pensioners into fuel poverty”.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.