“We’ll challenge Labour’s Winter Fuel Payment cut” Liberal Democrat MPs table Commons motion to halt benefit cut – over 22,000 pensioners in Cornwall & Scilly set to suffer this winter

• The Liberal Democrats have table a Commons motion to block government plans to cut Winter Fuel Payments pensioners
• 122,230 pensioners across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (20,621 in St Ives constituency) at risk of losing the £300 payment this winter
• According to estimates by Age UK, over 22,000 (22,221) pensioners in Cornwall “who badly need this money to stay warm” will not now receive it, and will face difficulty staying warm this winter
• Andrew George MP is calling on Government to “rethink” the cut so that local vulnerable pensioners continue to get the support they need

Andrew George is backing a Commons motion to block government plans to scrap Winter Fuel Payments for most pensioners. 

It comes as new analysis shows an estimated 122,230 pensioners across Cornwall and Scilly are at risk of losing the £300 payment, which helps with heating bills in the cold winter months.

Only 3,274 pensioners in St Ives constituency receive Pension Credit. Many are unaware they’re eligible for it. The figures were compiled by the House of Commons Library based on data from the Department of Work and Pensions.

If passed, the Liberal Democrat motion would protect local pensioners by blocking the government’s changes and restoring their winter fuel payments. It is set to be tabled as soon as Parliament returns next week and has been backed by all 72 Liberal Democrat MPs.

Across the country, 11 million pensioners are set to lose their winter fuel payment under the government’s plans, including two million that the charity Age UK has said will struggle to afford their energy bills as a result. This is despite the average energy bill being set to rise by £149 a year from October. Based on Age UK’s estimates, Andrew George has pointed out that more than 22,000 pensioners in Cornwall and on Scilly who badly needd this benefit will not receive it.

The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to think again to protect poorer and more vulnerable pensioners from being forced to choose between eating and heating this winter.

Andrew said:

“I appreciate the Conservatives have left our public finances in a mess but the Government has got this wrong and are penalising the wrong people. I’m very concerned about the impact upon vulnerable pensioners.

“If the Government wishes to remove entitlement it could simply exclude entitlement from those on higher rate of income tax and then take other measures. To instead remove support from many of the poorest pensioners just when energy bills are set to rise again is simply wrong. It could force vulnerable elderly people in our community to choose between eating and heating this winter.

“I recognise that the new government faces difficult choices after the appalling mess left by the Conservatives. But a rethink is urgently needed so that poorer and vulnerable pensioners in our community continue to get the support they so desperately need.”