Eligible residents in north east London are being encouraged to sign up for pension credit and other benefits in order to keep their winter fuel allowances.
The annual payment, aimed at people over the retirement age, has not been scrapped entirely but it will no longer be available for all. Only people who receive pension credit or are eligible for others, including universal credit and income support, will be able to claim it this winter.
The Treasury has urged eligible Brits to apply but the Department for Work and Pensions estimates that some 780,000 will unknowingly lose out. National data shows there are around 3,300 people in Waltham Forest eligible for pension credit who have not yet applied.
Council leader Grace Williams said: “We know there are high levels of fuel poverty in Waltham Forest and we have an important role to play to ensure that we are effectively supporting pensioners to get the help they need during the winter months and beyond.”
She added the council was hosting an awareness campaign to encourage older residents to check if they are eligible, which will include “targeted approaches” and borough-wide messaging.
She said: “We are keen to work with the government to better understand who is entitled to pension credit so we can take as targeted an approach as possible.
“We are committed to doing everything we can to support our residents who are facing financial challenges, and there is a wide range of support and services available in the borough.
The government won a vote on its plan to rein in the winter fuel allowance earlier this month by 348 votes to 228 – a majority of 120.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the cuts will save £1.5billion amid criticism of his efforts to “stabilise” the UK economy.
The £200-£300 payment was launched in 1997, under the last Labour government, to help older people heat their homes in the colder months.
Cllr Williams added the “welcome extension” of the Household Support Fund (HSF) would “further enable us to provide targeted help to those who need it most”.
The HSF was initially set to end on 30th September but has been extended until March 2025. Last year, London borough councils spent £135.7million through the HSF on families living in the capital.
Havering Council says it has been exploring other ways to help older residents. A spokesperson for the authority said: “We are aware of the potential impact on our elderly residents across the borough.
“The council is currently working to help ensure our residents are claiming all the benefits that they are entitled to, especially pension credit. We are also looking to see how we can support those residents that may be affected and help them through the winter months.”
The decision to restrict the winter fuel payment was backed by all four Labour MPs across north east London.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the MP for Ilford North, joined Ilford South MP Jas Athwal, the former leader of Redbridge Council, in his support. Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy and Calvin Bailey, the MP for Leyton & Wanstead, also voted in favour of the scheme.
Andrew Rosindell, the Conservative MP for Romford, missed the vote for medical reasons but branded it “cruel” and a “betrayal”. Tory Hornchurch MP Julia Lopez opposed it.
