Scottish Government says it had 'no choice' but to scrap winter fuel payments

SNP councillor for Oban South and the Isles, Willie Hume, said: "Scrapping the very much needed winter fuel payments for our senior citizens will certainly push people into real hardship.

"To deprive 10 million pensioners of much needed extra cash, is not the way to plug a £22 billion black hole left by the Tory Government.

"It will cause severe hardship and Chancellor Rachel Reeves needs to reconsider this in her autumn budget. Saving £1.4 billion this year to the determent of pensioners is totally unacceptable.

"Millions of older people will struggle this winter to stay warm. This must be reinstated, and I will conclude in saying write or email your MSP Jenni Minto and MP Brendan O’Hara to voice your concerns.”

Age Scotland have also warned of the dangers of this policy change.

The charity’s policy director, Adam Stachura, said: “It’s infuritating that huge numbers of older people will miss out on the vital Winter Fuel Payment when it is devolved to Scotland.

“We recognise the financial challenge the Scottish Government would face to make up the shortfall to keep the payment universal, but we desperately hoped there could be a more effective delivery of this payment and that it could have looked more generous than the UK Government’s new, and meagre, approach.

“At minimum, a quarter of a million pensioners in Scotland on the lowest incomes or living in fuel poverty will no longer receive this vital financial support over the winter months, while hundreds of thousands more on modest incomes are going to struggle with their energy bills even more than normal as a result.

“This brutal decision by the UK Government was made too fast, cuts too deep and its impact will be severe. It’s important they rethink this move, as it has a huge impact on the devolution of social security and the needs of Scottish pensioners who live in some of the coldest homes in the UK.”

SNP MSP Jenni Minto is strongly encouraging people to check whether they are eligible for pension credits in order to ensure that they still have access to the Winter Fuel Payment.

Commenting, she said: “The decision by the Labour UK government to means test the Winter Fuel Payment ensures that pensioners in Argyll & Bute will face the brunt of Westminster economic chaos.

“This decision, made in Westminster, has resulted in the Scottish Government’s budget being cut by an estimated £160m – as Labour picks up where the Tories left by driving a coach and horse through the devolution settlement.

“I am strongly encouraging pensioners in Argyll and Bute to check if they are eligible for pension credit to ensure that if they are they will still receive the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment that they are entitled to.”