Decent-pension Photo: Paul-Mattsson
Decent-pension Photo: Paul-Mattsson

Clare Wilkins, secretary East Midlands National Pensioners’ Convention (NPC) (personal capacity) and Nottingham Socialist Party

The axeing of the winter fuel payment for pensioners by the new Labour government, except for those in receipt of Pension Credit, looms large. We have to fight against this cut. It will be the first of many.

63% of pensioners eligible for Pension Credit currently claim it. You have to be in receipt of or eligible for it on 14 September to get it this year. £2.3 billion set aside for Pension Credit went unclaimed last year. The government says it will save £1.3 billion by cutting the Winter Fuel Payment.

The government has responded to the huge backlash by saying they will extend the Warm Home Discount. But only people on Pension Credit can get this and not all energy providers are in the scheme. They are also urging people to claim Pension Credit and for family and friends to help them claim. There are over one million pensioners who are just above the threshold for Pension Credit and other poorer pensions will also be hard hit.

At a recent reception for Labour MPs, Keir Starmer said that they must “toughen up” because there will be more “tough choices” and not to rebel, despite the complaints they are getting from constituents. A three-line whip against attempts to stop the cut mean any Labour MP that stands up for pensioners will be disciplined. Instead of going after privatised energy companies making huge profits at the expense of us all, Starmer’s cuts will mean old people will be cold.

More than 200 people took part in the NPC annual convention in Blackpool on 3 and 4 September. The convention discussed the anger at this cruel cut, and the need for a decent, liveable pension so that pensioners can have security and dignity in older age.

Jan Shortt, NPC general secretary announced that NPC and Unite the union have organised a lobby of parliament against the cut in the Winter Fuel Payment on Monday 7 October from 2-4pm in Room 14 in Westminster. A rally will take place at the George IV statue in Parliament Square beforehand.