Winter fuel payment cuts will hit Moray pensioners harder
Means testing the winter fuel payment will hit pensioners in this region far harder than those living in the relatively mild south of England.
As a result of this disparity in temperatures Moray Council has agreed to urge both the UK and Scottish governments to rethink their decisions to stop providing the payment to everyone.
SNP councillors Sonya Warren and Theresa Coull put forward a motion yesterday to write to Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, calling for the payments to remain universal.
Cllr Coull (Keith and Cullen) said: “The temperature on Christmas Day 2023 in Keith was a minimum of one degree and a maximum of three degrees.
“On the same day in London the minimum temperature was 10 degrees centigrade and the maximum was 13 degrees. It’s a huge difference.”
Cllr Warren (Buckie) said: “I’m aware of 63 cases in Moray where people have applied for pension credits, but have been unsuccessful due to their income being £3 over the threshold.
“That’s 63 Moray residents approximately £3 over the limit and they’re losing £300 in winter fuel payments.”
Cllr Warren added that only 12% of pensioners would keep the payment, leaving the other 88% at greater risk of illness and hypothermia.
However Conservative councillors Kathleen Robertson and Amber Dunbar put forward an amendment to lobby both Westminster and Holyrood.
Cllr Robertson (Forres) said: “Both governments have cut the winter fuel payment therefore both should be written to. Fuel poverty is particularly poignant to our residents in Moray.
“We cannot allow them to have to choose between heating and eating.”
The amendment to write to both governments was passed by 15 votes to nine.
Over 5000 pensioners in Moray received the winter heating payment last year.
