At last month’s meeting of Somerset Council, a cross-party motion called for the decision to remove the ‘Winter Fuel Allowance’ to be reversed as part of Rachel Reeves’ first budget. I was happy to second the motion, and made the following short speech in support:
“The government needs to dump its cruel winter fuel policy.”
“This is not what people voted for.”
“It is the wrong decision and needs to be reversed.”
“We need a vision where pensioners are not the first to face a new wave of cuts.”
These are not my words, but the words of Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite in her speech made prior to winning a non-binding vote at the government’s own conference, calling on the government to reverse its cuts to winter fuel payments.
Sadly, it would seem this vote brought forward by the government’s largest Union backer is likely to be ignored.
I, like most of us (Somerset Councillors) here today, have had many residents, both pensioners and their families, contact us with their concerns of how they are going to cope without this vital fuel allowance.
There are so many slightly above the qualification mark for pension credit, who will be choosing between ‘Heating and Eating` this winter.
For those that do qualify, but have not yet applied for pension credits, could I please ask that we as a council do more to assist them. The forms are a total nightmare and take forever to complete. Can we please find a way of assisting them. I’ve seen the council’s social media posts on this subject which are of course very helpful, however, I would suggest that many of our pensioners are not on social media and a way must be found to enable them to claim that which is rightfully theirs.
My fellow councillors, for the sake of our Somerset pensioners, I urge you vote for this motion.
Cllr John Hunt.
