WEEKLY column by Thornbury and Yate MP Claire Young.
Last week, the Government pushed ahead with its plans to cut the Winter Fuel Payment and leave millions of pensioners worse off this winter.
This was a callous move, one which will force people to choose between heating and eating this winter.
From the moment this policy, which was not in the Labour manifesto, was announced I voiced my concern at its impact it would have.
I promised to vote against it – and on Tuesday last week that’s what I did.
I voted twice to block these plans, but sadly they were pushed through due to Labour MPs rowing in behind the party leadership.
Since then, the situation has only become murkier.
It recently came out that the government had not commissioned a full impact assessment to properly work out what these changes would really mean for those struggling.
This is something that is the bread and butter of policy decisions, and it’s deeply worrying to see this overlooked.
As a result of this, it’s not clear exactly how many people will be left shivering in the cold this winter.
So many pensioners I speak to feel like they’ve been sold out and thrown to the wolves.
Even those supportive of restricting the payments have been shocked at the speed at which they have been withdrawn, leaving people blindsided and with little time to prepare.
£300 is a lot of money to someone on a fixed income, particularly those who are only in receipt of the basic state pension – which is one of the lowest in Europe.
Experts predict that more than 750,000 will be impacted, with those over 80 expected to be the largest cohort affected.
I will continue to fight to protect our pensioners and ensure they get the fair deal they deserve.
In the meantime, please do check if you’re eligible for pension credit and be sure to apply so you don’t miss out on the support you’re entitled to.
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