Sunday, December 08, 2024
Winter fuel cuts worsening poverty
The paper says that the fresh study also suggests that millions are already cutting down on their heating, with warnings about the impact on the NHS.
Meanwhile, a spike in applications for pension credit, currently running at 10,000 new claims a week, which enables people to receive the winter fuel payments, also means that even some of those who qualify are having to wait up to 12 weeks to receive it because Whitehall has been “overwhelmed” with claims:
With Storm Darragh ravaging parts of Britain this weekend, more than 7 million pensioners say they are turning down their heating or reducing the hours they turn it on to help them cope financially.
The research by the Age UK charity also estimates that the figure includes two-thirds of those over 66 living with long-term health conditions.
More than 1 million people aged 66 or over have been skipping meals, according to Age UK’s data. Again, vulnerable groups are seriously affected, with 620,000 pensioners suffering long-term conditions estimated to be missing meals.
Similar numbers were found to be reducing the number of hot meals they had. Four in nine pensioners – about 5.5 million people – said they were worried that they would not be able to heat their home enough this winter. More than 900,000 pensioners with long-term conditions said they were worried about getting into debt.
The Lib Dem Work and Pensions spokesperson, Steve Darling is quite right when he says: “The government needs to swallow its pride and reverse these reckless cuts that will leave millions of vulnerable people having to choose between heating and eating this winter,” said Steve Darling, the Lib Dem work and pensions spokesperson. “We are reaching the point of no return.”
This is not what most people expected from a new Labour government.
With Storm Darragh ravaging parts of Britain this weekend, more than 7 million pensioners say they are turning down their heating or reducing the hours they turn it on to help them cope financially.
The research by the Age UK charity also estimates that the figure includes two-thirds of those over 66 living with long-term health conditions.
More than 1 million people aged 66 or over have been skipping meals, according to Age UK’s data. Again, vulnerable groups are seriously affected, with 620,000 pensioners suffering long-term conditions estimated to be missing meals.
Similar numbers were found to be reducing the number of hot meals they had. Four in nine pensioners – about 5.5 million people – said they were worried that they would not be able to heat their home enough this winter. More than 900,000 pensioners with long-term conditions said they were worried about getting into debt.
The Lib Dem Work and Pensions spokesperson, Steve Darling is quite right when he says: “The government needs to swallow its pride and reverse these reckless cuts that will leave millions of vulnerable people having to choose between heating and eating this winter,” said Steve Darling, the Lib Dem work and pensions spokesperson. “We are reaching the point of no return.”
This is not what most people expected from a new Labour government.
