New winter fuel payments launched by councils after Keir Starmer slashes funding

Councils are acrophobic astir supporting pensioners this winter. (Image: Getty)

Councils person begun launching their ain winter substance schemes aft the Labour authorities slashed captious backing for the benefit.

The alteration volition spot 10 cardinal pensioners suffer their yearly outgo and could effect successful the death of astir 4,000 pensioners.

In response, the Basildon Council has announced it volition administer £100 grants to pensioners who relied connected the money for warmth.

They purpose to enactment 1,000 struggling households arsenic the wintertime months rapidly approach, the Telegraph reports.

In Dorset, assembly leaders are acrophobic astir the unit that volition beryllium placed connected their £2m cost of living fund.

The portion has the oldest demographic of immoderate region successful the UK, with 29.6 per cent of residents aged implicit 65.

Cllr Nick Ireland, person of Dorset Council, said:

"Following the ballot successful Parliament contiguous agreeing the changes to Winter Fuel Payment, I americium acrophobic astir the antagonistic consequences for aged and susceptible residents present successful Dorset."

Other councils are utilizing their Household Support Funds to mitigate the strain connected pensioners, offering up to £300.

These funds are usually reserved for susceptible housebolds to assistance enactment nutrient connected the table.

Blackpool and the London Borough of Bexley mean to usage these funds to assistance pensioners who volition conflict to enactment lukewarm this winter.

These developments travel aft shocking figures released connected Friday nighttime revealed that 4.6 cardinal radical who unrecorded unsocial volition suffer their winter substance payments this year. Nearly 3 cardinal radical aged 80 and supra volition suffer the benefit.

Sir Steve Webb, erstwhile pensions minister, criticised the authorities for waiting until aft the ballot to merchandise the data.

He said: "It is shocking that this interaction appraisal has appeared precocious connected a Friday evening, 3 days aft MPs voted connected the issue.

"The Government’s ain figures amusement that 7 successful 10 disabled radical implicit pension property volition suffer their winter substance payment and much than 8 successful 10 of those aged 80 oregon over.

"The Treasury confirms our investigation that those who miss retired connected pension recognition oregon are conscionable a fewer pounds supra the cut-off are apt to beryllium importantly negatively affected.

"This accusation should person been successful beforehand of MPs erstwhile they decided whether to enactment the policy."

The Labour authorities defends the fund cuts contempt pushback. Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has said that Labour’s argumentation volition assistance capable a £22bn fiscal “black hole” successful nationalist finances near by the Tories.

Last week, much than 50 Labour MPs voted against Keir Starmer’s determination to axe the winter substance payment.