Over 2000 pensioners miss out on Winter fuel payment

5.00.00pm GMT Tue 12th Jan 2010

Pensioners missing out on extra help with fuel costs

Liberal Democrat analysis of new Government figures show that at over 2000 pensioners across Daventry and South Northants will miss out on cold weather payments this winter.

New figures released by the Government show that 2115 pensioners will miss out the cold weather payments triggered by the recent cold weather. They are part of a total figure of almost 1.7M across Britain that will not receive the payments of £25 to help with fuel bills.

The cold weather payments occur when the weather drops below zero degrees for seven consecutive days and are paid to people on low incomes claiming a qualifying benefit such as Pension Credit which goes unclaimed by 1.7M pensioners.

Commenting on the figures Scott Collins, Parliamentary Candidate for South Northamptonshire said

"I am shocked at the number of people that are set to miss out on this benefit. £25 can make quite a difference to the budgets of many of those pensioners that could receive this seasonal help. With fuels prices running at an all time high this payment is even more important for pensioners struggling or meagre pensions"

"The research seems to indicate that the main reasons people don't claim the Pensions Credit is a lack of awareness or a fear of the effect it may have on other benefits being claimed"

Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Steve Webb said:

"It is a scandal that pensioners on the breadline are missing out on these payments, worth an estimated £42.5m.

"Labour has failed pensioners by creating a complicated system that makes it difficult for them to get the help they desperately need.

"The Government should be making every effort to identify pensioners who are missing out and get them this extra cash."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. People can get Cold Weather Payments worth £25 when temperatures are below zero degrees Celsius for seven consecutive days when they claim a qualifying benefit. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Inretirement/DG_10018668

2. Pension Credit is a qualifying benefit yet Department for Work and Pensions figures for 2007-08 (the most recent available) show that between 1.1m and 1.7m pensioners who are poor enough to qualify for Pension Credit do not claim, meaning they won't receive Cold Weather Payments to help with fuel bills during the recent cold snap http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/income_analysis/jun_2009/0708_PensionCredit.pdf

3. A table is attached showing estimates of the number of pensioners in each parliamentary constituency and government region that are missing out on Cold Weather Payments.

4. Figures are not available on the current South Northants constituency boundaries and therefore do not include East & West Hunsbury and Nene Valley area of the new constituency.