Andrew Snowden, MP for Fylde, has slammed the Labour Government’s failure to compensate pensioners who were left out in the cold last winter, calling for a one-off double Winter Fuel Payment to be considered for those who missed out last year.
In a Written Parliamentary Question, Mr Snowden urged the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to reconsider additional support for those who now qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2025 but were denied it in 2024, following Labour’s decision to scrap the universal allowance.
“Millions of pensioners lost out through no fault of their own because Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves botched their first Budget. It was reckless, unnecessary, and left some of the most vulnerable struggling to heat their homes.”
Labour Minister Torsten Bell confirmed that Winter Fuel Payments will now be means-tested, with payments of £200 for pensioners over State Pension age and £300 for those over 80 – but offered no plan to compensate those who missed out last winter.
“Now Labour have been forced into a U-turn, restoring the payment under a new system, it’s only fair they put right the damage they’ve already done,”
“If someone qualifies this year, they should never have been left out last year. That’s why I’m calling for a double payment to recognise what they lost.”
Mr Snowden also said he continues to hear from worried constituents:
“In Fylde, energy bills are still biting – especially for older residents. The Government shouldn’t get away with rewriting the rules one year and pretending it didn’t happen the next.”
The new income threshold of £35,000 is set to cover over 9 million pensioners across England and Wales. However, no measures have been announced to support those unfairly excluded last winter.
“I’ll keep fighting for Fylde’s pensioners, they deserve better than being used as collateral damage in Labour’s financial mismanagement,” Mr Snowden added.
