Massive drop in Melton pensioners receiving winter fuel payment

The new Labour government’s motion was approved after a Conservative move to block it was defeated by 120 votes.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says it is vitally needed to help fill a £22million black hole in public finances left by the Tories – it will save £1.5billion.

The payment was paid to everyone aged over 66 but it will now only go to those pensioners claiming pension credit or other means-tested benefits.

Drastically reducing the number of eligible elderly people means that only 770 older Melton borough residents will be able to claim it.

This is down from 11,729 previously and represents a huge 93.4 per cent reduction with 10,959 fewer beneficiaries.

In neighbouring Charnwood there is another massive drop in the number of recipients - from 32,746 eligible people in 2022/23 to just 2,836 people.

This means 29,910 pensioners in Charnwood borough will miss out on the payment this year, a reduction of 91.3 per cent.

More than 150,000 pensioners across Leicester and Leicestershire can no longer claim the payment, which is £200 rising to £300 if anyone in the house is aged over 80.

Ed Argar, the Conservative MP for Melton and Syston, said he voted to oppose the cut on winter fuel payments.

Writing in his Melton Times column this week, he commented: “I remain deeply disappointed at the new Labour government’s decision to choose to remove the Winter Fuel Allowance from many pensioners, including many in our own local community.

“Please rest assured that as your local MP I will continue to press the government to change course on this damaging policy, while they still can.”

Age UK has been campaigning against the cut to winter fuel payment with around 450,000 people signing its petition so far.

Labour says it is pursuing other measures to improve the finances of pensioners such as maintaining the so-called ‘triple lock’ on the state pension which means it will increase every year in line with rises in wage increases, inflation or 2.5 per cent.