MP condemns vote to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners

Around 64,000 pensioners in the Bradford district will now lose up to £300 in winter fuel payments after MPs voted to scrap the scheme in the House of Commons yesterday (Tuesday).

Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore (Conservative) said that in total, 347 Labour MPs, voted to cut the payments, despite warnings that pensioners would be forced to choose between heating and eating.  

Keighley and Ilkley's Robbie Moore joined other MPs who opposed measures to cut winter fuel payments (Image: UGC)

Mr Moore joined MPs from across the country yesterday morning, voting to keep the payments, saying he would continue to fight to help protect vulnerable older people during the winter and will lobby the Government to change their plans.

Bradford district MPs Imran Hussain (Bradford East - Ind), Naz Shah (Bradford West - Lab) and Judith Cummins (Bradford South - Lab) all abstained, while Anna Dixon (Shipley - Lab) voted to cut winter fuel payments.

Speaking in the House of Commons Chamber, Mr Moore said: “To strip this support away is not just a fiscal misstep; it is a moral failing.

“The government may speak of tough choices, but after this vote, the real tough choice will be for pensioners—whether to heat their homes or go without.

“I’m proud to have stood on right side of this argument, with the support of Age UK, Citizens Advice, the Centre for Ageing Better and hundreds of charities all in opposition to scrapping these vital payments.”

Despite Tory attempts to annul the regulations provoking a Labour backbench rebellion in the Commons, the measures are expected to come into force next week.

Speaking at PMQs, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to publish the impact assessment for means-tested winter fuel payments.

He said: “We know why he’s hiding the impact assessment. The Labour Party’s own previous analysis claimed that this policy could cause 3,850 deaths.

“So, are the numbers in his impact assessment higher or lower than that?”

Sir Keir replied: “We’re taking this decision to stabilise the economy. That means we can commit to the triple lock.

“By committing to the triple lock we can make sure that payments of state pension are higher and therefore there’s more money in the pockets of pensioners, not withstanding the tough action we need to take.

“But he goes around pretending that everything is fine. That’s the argument he tried in the election and that’s why he’s sitting there and we are sitting here.”

Mr Sunak countered: “Today pensioners watching will have seen that the Prime Minister has repeatedly refused to admit or publish the consequences of his decision and we will continue holding him to account for that.”

Earlier in the pair’s exchanges, Sir Keir outlined his justification for the decision.

He said: “The fact of the matter is this: they left a £22 billion black hole and they hid it from the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility). (Chairman) Richard Hughes is absolutely clear – the largest year-ahead overspend outside the pandemic.”

The Prime Minister said increases in pensions “will outstrip any loss of payment” as a result of the triple lock, which guarantees the state pension will rise by inflation, average wage growth or 2.5%.

The full state pension is set to rise by £460 from next April, according to official wage figures released this week.

Sir Keir said mitigation measures include trying to increase uptake of Pension Credit, adding: “Because of the tough decisions that we’re making to stabilise the economy, we can make sure that the triple lock shows that increases in pensions will outstrip any loss of payment.

“But before he complains about us clearing up his mess, perhaps he’d like to apologise for the £22 billion black hole.”

Mr Sunak defended his record in government as he argued he “delivered record increases in the state pension”, protected the winter fuel payment and gave pensioners cost-of-living benefits.

He told Sir Keir: “He’s the one that’s taking money away from pensioners on £13,000, but this has got nothing to do with the public finances.

“His own Chancellor (Rachel Reeves) just this morning, as MPs may not have been listening to her, his own Chancellor this morning admitted that she would prefer it if this policy didn’t even raise any money.”