Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, Max Wilkinson, has backed a motion in Parliament to block government plans to scrap Winter Fuel Payments for most pensioners. 

A typical pensioner household faces a £670 hit this winter, through rising energy bills, the end of the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment and the Government’s withdrawal of universal Winter Fuel Payments.

If passed, the Liberal Democrat motion would protect local pensioners by blocking the government’s changes and restoring their winter fuel payments. It is set to be tabled as soon as Parliament returns next week and has been backed by all 72 Liberal Democrat MPs.

Across the country, 11 million pensioners are set to lose their winter fuel payment under the government’s plans, including two million that the charity Age UK has said will struggle to afford their energy bills as a result. This is despite the average energy bill being set to rise by £149 a year from October.

The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to think again to protect poorer and more vulnerable pensioners from being forced to choose between eating and heating this winter.

An estimated 800,000 pensioners aren’t claiming the Pension Credits that they are entitled to, the means-tested benefit that will be the new cut off for Winter Fuel Allowance payments. You can find out if your eligible by going to: www.gov.uk/pension-credit