Clwyd West MS and Shadow Minister for North Wales, Darren Millar, has challenged the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice over the UK Government’s “cruel cuts” to pensioners in Conwy and Denbighshire and called on the Welsh Government to step in and establish its own winter fuel allowance.
Darren questioned the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice in the Senedd last week over winter fuel payments for pensioners and asked what discussions she has had with the UK Government regarding the changes, which will leave an estimated 30,000 pensioners in Conwy and Denbighshire worse off this winter.
In her response, the Cabinet Secretary said “Receiving Pension Credit is the key to unlocking winter fuel payments, and we are working with the UK Government to increase its uptake”.
But, Darren was not happy with her answer and said the Welsh Government should be “stepping in to establish its own winter fuel allowance payment”.
He said:
“I am not impressed with that response, and neither are people in my constituency. Thirty-thousand pensioners in Conwy and Denbighshire are set to lose the winter fuel payment this year and this is not the change that the Labour Party promised at the last UK General Election. It is a cruel cut that will impact many vulnerable people across Wales.
“You've already been asked why the Welsh Government isn't stepping in to establish its own winter fuel allowance payment; you've got the ability to be able to do that. You seem to have plenty of cash for other things that people don't regard as a priority, so why can't you invest funds in this in order to protect the most vulnerable people?
“And can you tell us also why you're not sticking up for Wales? You say that you've written to UK Government Ministers. Why haven't you been on the phone, demanding a meeting with these Ministers, in order to make sure that there are finances available to protect these vulnerable people in our constituencies this winter? Because, frankly, you're beginning to look more and more like Scrooge at the moment, because of the way that you're treating this situation.”
Later in the meeting, Labour MSs voted against the Welsh Conservatives’ motion calling on the UK Labour Government to save winter fuel payments.
Speaking afterwards, Darren said:
“Labour keeps banging on about promoting Pension Credit, yet if all 880,000 eligible pensioners applied for Pension Credit, the Treasury could face a bill of £3.8 Billion, substantially more than the £1.4 Billion saving from scrapping non means tested Winter Fuel Payment.
“Additionally, an estimated 130,000 older people in the UK will miss out because they are just £500 over the income threshold to claim Pension Credit!
“It’s a ludicrous and hugely unpopular decision and needs to be urgently reviewed before the cold weather is upon us.”
