Ministers fear up to 120,000 of the most vulnerable pensioners will miss out on money to pay their winter fuel bills after Rachel Reeves stripped the payment from millions of older people.
The government is to write to the group next month to warn them they will lose out unless they apply for pension credits before Christmas.
But many face months-long delays in processing forms, meaning they still may not receive the cash this winter, The Independent can reveal.
Ministers have defended the change, saying they have to “get the money from somewhere” and blaming the last Conservative government for leaving a £22bn black hole in the public finances.
But they have urged less well-off pensioners to apply for pension credit, under which they would still be eligible for the £200-300 winter fuel payment, designed to help with heating costs during the colder months.
Now ministers are to write to tens of thousands of pensioners to warn they could still be eligible for the cash.
Out of around a million older people on housing benefit, they will tell more than 100,000 of them they could still receive assistance with their heating bills.
Work and pensions minister Emma Reynolds said in an answer to a parliamentary question: “In November we will also be writing to approximately 120,000 pensioners who are in receipt of housing benefit and who may also be eligible for, but not currently claiming, pension credit. We will be inviting these pensioners to claim pension credit by 21 December.”
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 29, 2024-Ausgabe von The Independent.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 29, 2024-Ausgabe von The Independent.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
'I'll be back through No 10's doors one way or another'
We all know Maro Itoje's leadership qualities in rugby, but he tells Harry Latham-Coyle he has big ambitions off the pitch
Defiance proved no match for a bizarre brand of chaos
Erik ten Hag has a class of defiance that sometimes made him sound a man apart.
The 'fight has been called off' for staggering Ten Hag
Man United sack manager with the club 14th in league
Gift economy: John Lewis to hire 12,500 festive staff
The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) is set to hire 12,500 temporary staff this festive season in its largest seasonal recruitment drive to date.
Zoopla says £113bn of sales in pipeline as market surges
An estimated £113bn-worth of homes are working their way through the buying process in what marks the highest level of new sales agreed since autumn 2020, according to the property website Zoopla.
Look to Ireland to embrace the true spirit of Halloween
Anna Hart speaks to historians, spiritual leaders and revellers about Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival now enjoying a resurgence but which the Irish were forcibly taught to forget
Depardieu sexual assault trial postponed until March
Gerard Depardieu’s trial on charges of sexually assaulting two women on a film set was yesterday postponed until March due to concerns about the actor’s health.
Big Apple rotten to the core at Trump's Garden party
A 'surreal' return to New York saw 19,000 people cheer on crude insults and attacks nine days before the US election
Paedophile who made AI images jailed for 18 years.
A man has been jailed for 18 years after creating AI-generated images of child sexual abuse in an “utterly chilling” landmark case.
Fertility rate in England and Wales plunges to record low
The fertility rate in England and Wales has dropped to its lowest level since records began, new government data shows.