Thousands rush to claim pension credit amid winter fuel payment squeeze
Thousands of people have rushed to claim pension credit in the weeks since the Government announced it would limit the winter fuel payment to those on the benefit, new figures have shown.
The Department for Work and Pensions said it has received 38,500 pension credit claims in the last five weeks.
The rise in claims appears to begin after July 29, the date when Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the winter fuel allowance for pensioners would be limited to only those claiming pension credit or other means-tested benefits.
It represents a 115% increase in pension credit claims received by the department in the past five weeks compared to the five weeks before, when there were 17,900 claims.
Ms Reeves announced the squeeze as part of a series of measures aimed at filling what she called a £22 billion “black hole” in the public finances.
It is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the up to £300 payment by 10 million, from 11.4 million to 1.5 million – most of whom claim pension credit – saving around £1.4 billion this year.
The move has provoked unease among some Labour backbenchers who said they feel unable to vote with the Government when it comes to the Commons on Tuesday.
Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, has signalled she is willing to disobey her party’s order to vote for the measure.
Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole) said the decision would result in a “bureaucratic and unpopular means test” for older people, in a Commons motion which has received the backing of 26 MPs – 11 of whom are Labour parliamentarians.
Opposition MPs from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have also voiced concern about the plans – and at the Green Party conference in Manchester, co-leader Adrian Ramsay described it as “outrageous” and urged Labour MPs to join his MPs in voting against them.
He told the PA News Agency: “I would urge any Labour MPs who are uncomfortable with this, and many of them are, to vote against the Government so we can push for them to revisit this plan.”
As she confirmed the date when MPs would debate the measure, Commons Leader Lucy Powell said the Government has made “some really difficult decisions” that it “did not want to make”, but said it was “not afraid” to debate the cuts.
A Government spokesperson said: “Given the dire state of the public finances we have inherited, it’s right that we target support to those who need it most.
“Over a million pensioners will continue to receive the winter fuel payment, while many others will also benefit from the £150 Warm Home Discount from October to help with their energy bills over winter.
“We are seeing increased demand in pension credit claims and continue to urge pensioners to check their eligibility to make sure as many people in need can access this support”.
