Bruce slams flawed cold weather payment scheme (BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats)

BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats <info@banffandbuchanlibdems.org.uk>

Bruce slams flawed cold weather payment scheme

February 23, 2010 5:30 PM
Originally published by The Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP

Local MP Malcolm Bruce today criticised the current provisions on cold weather payments which is thought to see as many as 1,600 pensioners in Gordon miss out.

Speaking in Westminster on the subject of Pensioner Poverty, the Gordon MP said:

"If people do not claim some benefits they will not qualify for others. We are experiencing the coldest winter for many years, and many pensioners are cutting their heating. In areas such as Gordon, which are particularly cold, many do not get the cold weather payments because they have not applied for benefits to which they would otherwise automatically be entitled. Is it not time that we gave the benefits to those who need them without making them claim?"

Speaking after the debate the MP added:

"If the Government was to address this technicality on cold weather payments it could go a way to helping alleviate pensioner fuel poverty. Pensioners are amongst those most likely to feel the impact of rising fuel prices since they are more likely to be fuel poor than any other group, and, tragically, are also the most vulnerable to the effects of the cold."

In the UK up to 1.7m pensioners are estimated to miss out on Cold Weather Payments triggered by this year's harsh winter weather conditions. In Gordon, 1,600 pensioners are thought to be missing out because they are not currently in receipt of pension credit. The low take-up of pension credit is largely thought to stem from the complicated application process including an initial claim form which is 18 pages long.

Cold Weather Payments of £25 a week are currently paid to people on low incomes who receive a qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit which goes unclaimed by as many as 1.7m pensioners.