It’s clear the government has inherited a mess from the Tories, but cutting winter fuel allowance to pensioners is a mistake.
By Senior National Officer for Equalities Josie Irwin
Clearly, the Labour government has inherited a mess from the Tories and that tough decisions must be taken to get the economy back on track.
However, the proposal to withdraw the winter fuel payment from all except those pensioners receiving pension credit is deeply concerning. Older people, who have budgeted for the allowance, have had the rug pulled from under them just as winter approaches.
UNISON knows that, while some wealthier pensioners don’t need the help and would readily say so, restricting eligibility to those receiving pension credit means that too many pensioners living in poverty will fall between the cracks.
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Stirling UNISON 