Councillors to debate motion against controversial cuts to Winter Fuel Allowance

Wrexham councillors are to debate a motion on the scrapping of the Winter Fuel Allowance for all but 1.5 million pensioners.

The motion, submitted by all seven Plaid Cymru councillors, states that almost a third of households in Wales will be impacted by the UK Labour Government’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Allowance for all but those on Pension Credits.

It calls on the council to “condemn the recent decision by the UK Labour Government to cut the Winter Fuel Allowance” and “to halt the proposed cuts with a view to ensuring the most vulnerable in our society are not put at risk due to the loss of this critical payment.”

The motion, which will be debated at full council on September 25, has been put forward in response to the UK government’s decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment.

The payment provided £200 to households with recipients under 80, and £300 for those with someone over 80 to help cover heating costs in the winter

Last year, an additional £300 per household was provided as a cost of living payment.

However the UK government announced that the payment will now be means tested – with those not in receipt of Pension Credit no longer receiving the Winter Fuel Payment from this year onwards.

As a result, eligibility has been drastically reduced from 11.4 million people to approximately 1.5 million.

In Wales it is estimated that 360,000 pensioners will lose out on vital financial support.

It will be debated by all councillors at a meeting on September 25.

The motion states: “Limiting the Winter Fuel Allowance to those on pension credit will mean that the vast majority of pensioners currently living below the poverty line will lose out.

“It’s estimated that 80,000 pensioners eligible for Pension Credits in Wales are not currently taking up that benefit.

“Taking away this critical payment of up to £300 annually is directly putting at risk pensioners’ ability to heat their homes this winter.

“The ‘End Fuel Poverty Coalition’ have estimated that 4,950 excess winter deaths in the UK were caused by living in cold homes during winter 2022/23.

“With energy bills set to rise by an additional £149 this October and possibly further in January, the decision to cut this payment for such a vulnerable group is unacceptable and will have a detrimental impact on the health and well-being of a significant number of households in our borough.”

The motion calls for the council to “condemn the recent decision by the UK Labour Government to cut the Winter Fuel Allowance” and “to halt the proposed cuts with a view to ensuring the most vulnerable in our society are not put at risk due to the loss of this critical payment.”

Wrexham Council will debate the Plaid Cymru motion on the scrapping of the Winter Fuel Allowance at its next council meeting on September 25.