Pensioners protest cuts to winter fuel payments

Pensioners have held a protest against the government's decision to cut winter fuel payments outside an MP’s office in South Yorkshire.

Demonstrators held signs outside the Dinnington office of Jake Richards, the Labour MP for Rother Valley, who supported the government in a parliamentary vote on the issue.

Organiser John Agacy, 64, who leads the group Action for Maltby, said he felt the move could lead to a loss of life.

Mr Richards said he had held meetings across the constituency about the changes and urged people struggling with bills to come and see him.

The winter fuel payment is intended to help with higher energy bills during the winter months and was introduced in 1997.

Payments depend on the age of the recipient and whether they live alone. More than 11.3 million pensioners received it for the 2022-23 winter.

In July, the government changed the eligibility criteria, meaning those not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer receive it.

Mr Agacy said the policy was "abhorrent".

"If we save one life, that’s an important thing for us. I live in a mining community where a lot of people are on the breadline. Something has to be done to support them.”

Mr Richards said he had held events about the winter fuel allowance, as well as street surgeries, across the constituency.

Referring to the demonstration outside his office, he said he would "always defend people's right to protest".

June Gretton, 90, did not know whether she was entitled to a payment or not anymore, but said she would struggle without it.

"It's worse than it's ever been to be a pensioner," she said.

“I wrap myself up, I try to keep myself as warm as possible. Sometimes I go to bed to keep warm. I'm definitely worried."

Mr Agacy said a lot of people in the village were concerned.

“We felt that the only way to get something done was by challenging our local MP who is there to represent us.

"It doesn’t appear that he’s representing us, he’s not turned up today to meet us so it shows how interested he is in his community.”

Mr Richards said he had been advised by the police to close his office during the demonstration.

"On three separate occasions, I offered to meet with the campaigning group to discuss the means-testing of winter fuel allowance," the MP said.

"I remain happy to meet them.

“I won’t, however, accept the abuse that some have unfortunately sent to me and my team."

Val Ball, attending the protest in Dinnington on Friday, said she was due to lose the payment and would probably be cold this winter.

“It means we won’t put the heating on as much as we did last year," she said.

Another demonstrator, Mick Blunt, said the payment had taken the pressure off his household bills last year.

“You work all your life from being 15 years of age, you’ve asked for nothing, you get to our age, and the little bit of what you get is taken off you,” he added.

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