Budget is ideal time to reverse heartless winter fuel payment policy, says Mel Stride

Ministers claim those who need the winter fuel payment will at least still get it and they will qualify for pension credit. It is their justification for this cruel and poorly thought through policy.

But this overlooks the simple fact that many pensioners who would qualify for pension credit, don’t receive it.

And even for those that apply, it was recently revealed that one in five pension credit applications aren’t even being processed within a 10 week period.

That means that countless vulnerable pensioners on less than £11,500 a year will miss out on this vital payment in time for the winter.

But what makes matters even worse is that the Government’s own advisers, the Social Security Advisory Committee, made the bombshell revelation that this legislation is not fit for purpose.

They have recommended that those receiving the full rate of housing benefit should be entitled to the winter fuel payment this year, and that protections should be put in place for pensioners eligible for child tax credit.

I have written to Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, to ask her once again to scrap these measures, and if she will not, at least make the changes that the Social Security Advisory Committee have called for.

It is becoming increasingly clear that this policy is not fit for purpose and perhaps all will not be lost - next week’s budget will be the ideal time to reverse this heartless policy and restore peace of mind to millions of our pensioners.

I urge the Work and Pensions Secretary to put party politics aside. Don’t let vulnerable pensioners suffer this winter. There is still time to prevent the damage this policy will cause and to stand by our pensioners.

Mel Stride is the shadow work and pensions secretary