Cuts to Winter Fuel Payment will leave more pensioners in the cold

The announcement by the Executive that the Winter Fuel Payment will no longer be universal for pensioners has come right as autumn begins and more and more pensioners struggle with the high cost of fuel.

NIAPN is extremely concerned at both the timing of this announcement and the decision to cut a payment that many pensioners depend on through the winter months. Whilst pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit will still receive the Winter Fuel Payment, Advice NI estimates that 28% of those who are entitled to Pension Credit do not claim it, and many pensioners who earn over the pension credit threshold are still struggling to make ends meet.

Pensioners who receive pension credit will receive £200 as a winter fuel payment, and pensioners over 80 receiving pension credit will receive £300. As an estimated 26,300 pensioners in Northern Ireland are currently entitled to pension credit, but not claiming it, it is imperative that the advice sector, government and the community voluntary sector do everything they can within the next while to increase awareness of pension credit.

Additionally, we know that many pensioners who are ineligible for pension credit still struggle to heat their homes in the winter months. Joseph Rountree Charitable Trust estimates that a single person needs to earn £28,000 a year to reach a minimum acceptable standard of living in 2024, which is significantly more than a pensioner on pension credit receives. Therefore, the universal Winter Fuel Payment was addressing a significant need for many pensioners.

Age NI commented:

We know from listening to many older people that they are already extremely anxious about the winter and how they will manage to stay warm. Our fear is that more older people will have to choose between heating their home or eating.  We also know the detrimental impact living in a cold home can have on health, such as increased risk of respiratory infections, heart attacks and stroke, so this is a decision that could potentially affect an older person’s health as well as their finances, which will inevitably lead to increased pressures on our health service. Means testing the Winter Fuel Payment, with virtually no notice and no mitigating measures in place may mean that older people will face further hardship.

Older people poverty remains a significant issue, and needs to be tackled within a larger anti-poverty strategy. Currently, there are 36,000 older people in Northern Ireland living in relative poverty and 22,000 in absolute poverty. The continuation of the “triple lock” from Westminster (keeping pensions in line with the higher of inflation, wages or 2.5%) has been key to reducing pensioner poverty, but more needs to be done to target those at higher risks of poverty. More needs to be done to protect those least likely to avail of services and benefits. More needs to be done so that not a single pensioner turns off their heat even though their house is too cold, or stays in bed all day to keep warm.

You may be eligible for pension credit if:

• You are single and living on LESS than £218.15 a week
• A couple living on less than £332.95 a week
• PIP/DLA or attendance allowance is NOT counted towards your income
• You may be eligible if you have some savings
• You can still be eligible if you own your own home

All pensioners on low incomes should contact a local advice centre or call the Pension Credit Application Line directly at 0808 100 6165