Birmingham Local Conservatives have criticised Birmingham Labour MPs as not one stood up and opposed the Labour Government plan to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment which will impact ten million pensioners, including 117,224 in Birmingham. A vote to stop Labour's attack on the elderly, brought by the Opposition in parliament, was defeated this week. 117,224 pensioners could lose their winter fuel allowance in Birmingham, just as the cold weather hits. Labour's own research from 2017 suggests this could kill 4000 people.
Just weeks after the election, the new Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a cut to the Winter Fuel Payment which will reduce it by between £100 and £300, money that would usually have helped pensioners with their heating bills during the winter.
Between 2010 and 2023, the Conservatives had lifted over 200,000 pensioners out of absolute poverty. The Conservative Government’s unprecedented cost of living support following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine also prevented 400,000 pensioners from falling into absolute poverty after housing costs in 2022-23.
Labour’s scrapping of the Winter Fuel Payment comes despite Labour’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones MP, saying that Labour had ‘no plans to make changes’ to pensioner benefits.
Cllr Robert Alden slammed the Labour Party for breaking election promises only weeks after the General Election, by slashing the Winter Fuel Payments, saying
This decision by the Labour Government will be devastating for thousands of pensioners across Erdington Constituency. It is estimated that over 11,000 pensioners in Erdington Constituency and over 117,000 across the City of Birmingham, will have their winter fuel allowance removed just as the cold weather approaches. Labour have, for years, said these payments were vital for saving lives, yet within weeks of being elected they are slashing these very payments.
Robert added
The reality is this cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance is a direct attack on low income pensioners across Erdington and Birmingham. Labour are forcing them to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table - which Labour's own research has said will potentially kill 4000 people. This isn’t fiscal responsibility—it's cruel and unnecessary and Labour MPs should have backed the Conservative oppositions motion to stop these cuts.
