HEARTLESS! 86% OF POOREST PENSIONERS WILL LOSE FUEL HELP

THE heartless decision by Labour to scrap vital winter fuel payments will leave some older people begging in the cold, campaigners have warned.

- Michael Knowles

Ministers have admitted that 86% of pensioners already living in poverty will lose their energy payments.

That prompted widespread fury, with the Government accused of knowing the cuts will leave those already in dire need worse off.

Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices, commented: “These statistics reveal the extent of heartlessness towards older people shown so far by the Labour Government.

“Despite knowing that 1.4 million pensioners are already in absolute poverty, the Government is sticking to its plan to remove the winter fuel payment from 1.2 million. If you are in absolute poverty and £200 to £300 is removed from you at short notice, you have only three choices: malnutrition, hypothermia or begging.

“Many older people are already using food banks, warm banks and local authority hardship funds.

“Will the Chancellor be satisfied that she has saved the economy when 80-year-olds are begging in our shopping malls?”