Fuel payment cut sees these pensioners barely managing

Retired electrical design engineer Paul Taylor is not a big spender.

- HOLLY BANCROFT

A 74-year-old based near Sheffield, he’s already been cutting down on his outgoings over the past 18 months to deal with rising prices. He describes his food bill as “very clinical” and he’s always searching for the best deal from his energy provider. This winter, he’ll have to be even more economical with his money as he is one of the 10 million pensioners who will miss out on the fuel payment.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves decided to cut the winter allowance for the majority of recipients after inheriting what she described as a £22bn black hole in the public finances. Under the new plans, only pensioners on certain benefits will be able to get help with winter fuel. These benefits include universal credit, income support, child tax credit and pension credit.

However, charity Age UK has identified around 2 million older people who are on low incomes or who have other vulnerabilities, such as a disability, but who are just above the pension credit threshold. These people will be the most affected by the cuts, they say.

Mr Taylor is just above the cut-off for pension credit and, despite having mobility problems that qualify him for attendance allowance, will not be eligible for fuel payments this winter. He told The Independent: “Even before all this I stopped taking holidays. I normally went abroad a couple of times a year and I have done none of that for the last 18 months. I don’t anticipate that I will be able to do that anymore.