Letter to the First Minister regarding Winter Fuel Payments

Dear First Minister,   

Age Cymru is working towards a vision where society supports all people in Wales to have the best experience of later life. Older people are valued, included and able to shape decisions affecting their lives. Our teams across Wales look to improve the lives of older people by delivering trusted advice, support and services. We use our knowledge, insight and experience to influence policies and decisions affecting older people.    

We would like to take the opportunity to congratulate you on becoming First Minister and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss the experiences of older people in Wales in due course.  However, at this time we wish to share our deep concern about the UK Government’s proposed changes to the Winter Fuel Payment which will impact thousands of older people across Wales.  We firmly believe that cutting the Winter Fuel Payment this winter, with virtually no notice and no compensatory measures to protect poor and vulnerable pensioners, is the wrong decision.   

In Age Cymru’s 2024 annual survey of over 1300 older people across Wales we heard that almost half of older people found cost of living to be a challenge over the last 12 months, and over half of older people had issues with their physical health. This will only worsen with cuts to this vital financial support during the winter months.   

There are 3 key groups of older people we’re particularly worried about:    

• Those who just miss out on Pension Credit because their very modest incomes are slightly too high for them to be eligible, usually because they have a tiny occupational pension. Many of these are women.    

• Those with high energy needs because of disability or illness, and/or who live in energy inefficient homes which cost a lot of money to heat.    

• 56,100 people aged 66 and older in Wales who will miss out on the Winter Fuel Payments due to means testing but are eligible but not in receipt of Pension Credit.  

There has only been three months warning for this change – and older people will have expected to have this money in their pockets this year. There simply isn’t long enough for many to work out another plan. The UK Government has said more will be done to encourage those entitled to Pension Credit to claim it, but this will take time and won’t stop many missing out this year.     

Pensioners will also have up to £600 less this winter in UK Government support with their heating bills, compared to last year, because the cost-of-living payments brought in temporarily by the previous Government have now stopped.   

We’re working with our partner, Age UK, on their petition ‘Save the Winter Fuel Payment for struggling pensioners’ and 18,067 signatures are from older people or from family or friends of older people across Wales. We have been able to break the data of the signatories down, showing the concerns of people ahead of the debate in the House of Commons (September 10th).  

• 16,441 of those who signed the petition in Wales said that cutting Winter Fuel Payment affects them or a loved one  

• 4,207 people who signed the petition in Wales told us they are just above the threshold to receive Pension Credit  

• 1,317 people who signed the petition in Wales said they have caring responsibilities.   

• 408 of those with caring responsibilities are just about the threshold to receive Pension Credit  

• 935 people told us they are just above the threshold to receive Pension Credit in Wales also said they pay rent or a mortgage  

• 650 of those who signed the petition in Wales who told us they are just above the threshold to receive Pension Credit also said they receive attendance allowance or PIP  

People have been sharing with us how they feel they’ll really struggle without the WFP – including cutting down on food, heating and hot water. We are hearing from people with long term health conditions who must have a warm home, so have told us that they will have to cut back on food.    

We would be pleased to work with you to mitigate these impacts and if it would be helpful, we would be happy to arrange for you to hear some of the concerns directly from older people.  

 Yours Sincerely,  

Victoria Lloyd (Chief Executive)