More than HALF of aged will use heating much less this 12 months, ballot says
More than half of pensioners will heat their homes less due to the winter fuel payment cut, a poll has revealed.
Some 55 per cent said the move to strip ten million voters of the subsidy will cause them to have a colder winter this year.
The Savanta survey, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, showed that four in ten elderly people are planning to cut back on essentials. And 19 per cent – almost one in five – will eat less this winter to save money.
Three-quarters of respondents said they would be impacted by the planned changes to the winter fuel allowance, while just a fifth think they will avoid any negative effects.
Calling on Sir Keir Starmer to rethink the cut, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the poll showed that the Government is forcing pensioners to make the ‘heartbreaking choice between heating and eating this winter’.
Some 55 per cent of pensioners said the move to strip ten million voters of the subsidy will cause them to have a colder winter this year
Calling on Sir Keir Starmer to rethink the cut, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey (pictured) said the poll showed that the Government is forcing pensioners to make the ‘heartbreaking choice between heating and eating this winter’
Three-quarters of respondents said they would be impacted by the planned changes to the winter fuel allowance, while just a fifth think they will avoid any negative effects (stock image)
He added: ‘The Government should do the right thing and change course on this.
‘This decision to cut the winter fuel allowance will put untold stress on pensioners, with many facing a heartbreaking choice between heating and eating this winter.
‘While we understand the dire state the Conservatives left the public finances in, now is not the time to be cutting support to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
‘We cannot stand by and allow millions of pensioners to endure another winter in a cost of living crisis. Liberal Democrats will be voting against the Government’s cut.’
Analysis by the party last week found that pensioners are expected to take a £670 hit this winter due to the 10 per cent rise in the energy price cap and cuts to benefits.
It came after Sir Ed blasted the decision to slash payments as the new administration’s ‘first big mistake’.
Many elderly Britons are worried about how they will make ends meet this winter (stock image)
After tabling a motion for a vote last month, he said: ‘We haven’t had a vote. We haven’t had a proper debate. So what all the 72 Liberal Democrat MPs have done, we’re signing what’s called a prayer, which is a parliamentary process, to trigger a debate so we can represent people who have elected us.
‘I think there’ll be some Labour MPs and MPs probably across all parties. I think people are genuinely worried.
‘They’ll be talking to people in their constituencies. They’ll have heard the concerns of a number of the groups who represent pensioners.’
He also said the Government had other options to balance the books and should look elsewhere to make savings.
A spokesman for Age UK said the charity ‘strongly’ opposes means-testing the payment.
It added that the cut means ‘as many as two million pensioners who badly need the money to stay warm this winter will not receive it and will be in serious trouble as a result’.
