Councillor R Martin to move –
This Council Notes:
The Labour Government’s recent decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to only pensioners in receipt of means-tested benefits like Pension Credit, as announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
The estimated impact of this decision, which Age UK says will mean 2 million pensioners who badly need the money to stay warm this winter will not receive it.
The significant role that Winter Fuel Payments play in helping older residents of Huntingdonshire and across the UK afford heating during the coldest months, thereby preventing 'heat or eat' dilemmas and safeguarding health.
The criticism from Age UK, the Countryside Alliance and other charities, highlighting the social injustice and potential health risks posed by this sudden policy change.
The additional strain this decision will place on vulnerable pensioners, many of whom do not claim Pension Credit despite being eligible, further exacerbating their financial hardship.
This Council believes:
That the Winter Fuel Payment has been a lifeline for many older people across the UK and that restricting its availability solely to those on Pension Credit risks leaving many pensioners in financial hardship.
While some pensioners currently in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment may not require it, many thousands across Huntingdonshire sit just above the cut-off for Pension Credit and will now lose their allowance.
The decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments, especially with such short notice and without adequate compensatory measures, is deeply unfair and will disproportionately affect the health and well-being of our poorest older residents.
The government’s approach fails to consider the administrative barriers and stigma that prevent eligible pensioners from claiming Pension Credit, leaving many without the support they desperately need.
This Council resolves to:
Request that the Council Leader write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, urging a review of the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment and asking the government to ensure that vulnerable pensioners, particularly those who do not claim Pension Credit, are protected from fuel poverty.
Commit the Council to signing the ‘Save the Winter Fuel Payment for Struggling Pensioners’ petition being run by Age UK and write to all members offering them the opportunity to sign the petition themselves.
Encourage local efforts to promote Pension Credit uptake through council services and partnerships with local charities and community organisations to ensure that all eligible pensioners in Huntingdonshire are supported in claiming their entitlement.
Contact:20 Minutes.
Minutes:
(See Minute No.33 for Members’ Interests)
Councillor R Martin moved, and it was duly seconded by Councillor M L Beuttell who reserved her right to speak that –
‘This Council Notes:
The Labour Government’s recent decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to only pensioners in receipt of means-tested benefits like Pension Credit, as announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
The estimated impact of this decision which Age UK says will mean 2 million pensions who need the money to stay warm this winter will not receive it.
The significant role that Winter Fuel Payments play in helping older residents of Huntingdonshire and across the UK afford heating during the coldest months, thereby preventing ‘heat or eat’ dilemmas and safeguarding health.
The criticism from Age UK, the Countryside Alliance and other charities, highlighting the social injustice and potential health risks posed by this sudden policy change.
The additional strain this decision will place on vulnerable pensioners, many of whom do not claim Pension Credit despite being eligible, further exacerbating their financial hardship.
This Council believes:
That the Winter Fuel Payment has been a lifeline for many older people across the UK and that restricting its availability solely to those on Pension Credit risks leaving many pensioners in financial hardship.
While some pensioners currently in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment may not require it, many thousands across Huntingdonshire sit just above the cut-off for Pension Credit and will now lose their allowance.
The decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments, especially with such short notice and without adequate compensatory measures is deeply unfair and will disproportionately affect the health and wellbeing of our poorest old residents.
The government’s approach fails to consider the administrative barriers and stigma that prevent eligible pensioners from claiming Pension Credit leaving many without the support they desperately need.
This Council resolves to:
Request that the Council Leader write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer urging a review of the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment and asking the government to ensure that vulnerable pensioners, particularly those who do not claim Pension Credit are protected from fuel poverty.
Commit the Council to signing the ‘Save the Winter Fuel Payment for Struggling Pensioners’ petition being run by Age UK and write to all members offering them the opportunity to sign the petition themselves.
Encourage local efforts to promote Pension Credit update through council services and partnerships with local charities and community organisations to ensure that all eligible pensioners in Huntingdonshire are supported in claiming their entitlement’.
In presenting the motion, Councillor R Martin explained that he was raising the matter on behalf of an estimated 32,000 residents within Huntingdonshire who would be losing out on a Winter Fuel Payment following the decision of the Labour Government to limit it to those pensioners who receive means tested benefits.
Councillor Martin went on to state that according to Age UK this policy change meant that around 2 million pensioners, many of whom are already just about making ends meet would no longer be in receipt of the payment. He reiterated that the importance of such payments within the community could not be overstated and that by reducing access to this support, the government risked putting thousands of pensioners into fuel poverty. Council’s attention was then drawn to those organisations who had raised criticisms of the policy and attention drawn not only to the effect on health but also the administrative and the psychological barriers that many pensioners faced because there were unaware of or did not want the stigma associated with applying for benefits. Attention was also drawn to the fact that the change had been introduced with little or no notice and no alternative measures to protect the more vulnerable.
Councillor Martin went on to outline the actions he was asking the Council to take by supporting the motion as presented. In doing so, he reiterated that any decision to reverse the policy would be a matter for central government, but by supporting the motion it would send a strong message that Huntingdonshire as a community and as a Council will not stand by whilst its elderly residents were put at risk.
In responding to the motion, the Executive Leader Councillor S J Conboy first reflected concerns that this was a national political move. That having been said, she reiterated that the Joint Administration were committed to listening and responding to residents’ concerns and cared passionately about the living conditions of its residents. Reference was made to the previous motion brought by the Joint Administration in October 2022 regarding the Cost-of-Living Crisis and the imposition of measures to seek to address that.
Councillor Conboy then outlined her intention not to amend the motion but to report on those measures which the Administration intended to take to assist in the situation. These included the signposting of those who were eligible for pension credits to encourage more individuals to realise it was accessible and that they were entitled. To work with partners to utilise the District Council’s share of the additional household support fund as effectively as possible to support vulnerable households in Huntingdonshire, building up to the Council’s expansion of the eligibility criteria for council tax support and to work with peers across local government in Cambridgeshire to support the cost-of-living issues for residents and to seek to meet those needs as effectively as possible.
A debate then ensued during which Councillors Ferguson, Sanderson, Kerr, Hassall and Davenport-Ray indicated that they were unable to support the motion.
In doing so, Councillor S W Ferguson recognised that the United Kingdom was experiencing unacceptable high levels of poverty but reiterated that preventing residents from entering crisis and rescuing residents from crisis remained two of the Council’s most prominent corporate objectives to which the Joint Administration were committed to taking action. With this in mind, he made reference to the success of the new Council Tax Support scheme, which had resulted in an increase from 1300 to 4000 households now receiving full Council Tax Support. He also took the opportunity to remind the Council that successive national governments had sought to address the issues relating to poverty, but it had been almost twenty years since the last period of falling poverty. In terms of the motion presented, Councillor Ferguson recognised the administrative barriers to individuals who wished to claim pension credit and reiterated that the Council’s Customer Support Team worked hard to ensure that individuals received the benefits to which they were entitled. He acknowledged the need to focus on outreach and education going forward to ensure that eligible pensioners also received assistance. However, whilst supporting many of the points made within the presentation of the motion, he was unable to support all of it.
Councillor T D Sanderson having also commented on the political nature of the motion and the current economic position, took the opportunity to outline the practical steps that the Council could undertake to support vulnerable pensioners who were affected by the changes this winter. Councillor J Kerr took the opportunity to express her concerns that the motion was of a political nature, to which the Council had no remit, or powers.
In addressing the Council, Councillor M Hassall explained that he was unable to support the motion due to his personal agreement with the approach to means testing the Winter Fuel Payment so as to ensure that support is directed to those who most needed it. He also reiterated that the District Council had very limited influence on national policy decisions and that there were Members of Parliament representatives who may be able to make these points more effectively.
Councillor L Davenport-Ray took the opportunity to remind the Council of services that the Council was already providing and would continue to do so to help with the situation. These included the multi-faceted approach taken to residents calling with difficulties paying their Council tax and the work to encourage means test funding to retrofit homes still using oil fired heating. She reiterated that the Council were already making real and tangible efforts to address the problems.
Councillors C A Lowe, J Neish, J A Gray and M L Beuttell addressed the Council in support of the Motion.
With reference to her previous employment as a warm home’s surveyor for another local authority, Councillor C A Lowe drew attention to the extreme health conditions which could be caused from damp and mould, which also had the potential to make existing health problems worse. Having acknowledged the comments regarding the efforts which would be made to signpost affected individuals to information regarding pension credits, she urged the Administration to make contact directly with this sector of the community.
Councillor J A Neish referred to the circumstances of an individual constituent directly affected by the policy change and reiterated the need for consideration to be given to those individuals that fall just short, with no notice and additional needs. Whilst he recognised that the District Council was not in a position to directly change Government Policy; by supporting the motion it would illustrate to the residents of Huntingdonshire that the District Council cared about their plight.
With reference to the actions that the motion was requesting the Council take, Councillor J A Gray expressed his surprise that there was opposition to what he saw as the straightforward requests which were being made. He also referred to the fact that there had been general support for the need to encourage the take-up of pension credit as outlined at point 3 of the recommendations. He also used the opportunity to make reference to the position that the political parties were taking on the matter at a national level.
Finally, Councillor Beuttell took the opportunity to reiterate that the Winter Fuel Payment would be withdrawn in December and that time was very much of the essence.
In drawing the debate to a close, Councillor R Martin urged Members to support the Motion presented. In doing so, he reiterated that they were straightforward requests, which he foresaw as fair and open asks of the Council. He also took the opportunity to reject the comments that had been made regarding its overly political nature, referring to the fact that all members were elected for political reasons and the positions of the national parties on the matter. He urged members to support the open, honest and fair motion.
At the conclusion of a lengthy debate and following a requisition that voting on the Motion be recorded in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.4, the following Members voted in favour of the Motion:
Councillors Alban, Beuttell, Brereton, Bywater, Cawley, Clarke, Corney, Costello, Criswell, Gardener, Gray, Gulson, Jennings, Keane, Lowe, Martin, and Neish
The following Members voted against the Motion:
Councillors Blackwell, Burke, Catmur, Conboy, Davenport-Ray, Ferguson, Gleadow, Hassall, Jordan, Kadewere M, Kadewere P, Kerr, McAdam, Mickelburgh B, Mickelburgh D, Mokbul S, Pickering, Pitt, Sanderson, Shaw, Slade, Taylor I, Taylor S, Terry, Wakeford and Wells
The following Members abstained:
Councillors Banks, Chapman, Dew, Howell and Hunt
Whereupon, the Motion was declared to be LOST by 26 votes to 17
(At 7.48pm Councillor C H Tevlin left the meeting and returned at 7.53pm. She did not vote on this item),