Backing Age UK’s Campaign to Fully Reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment

Alessandro Georgiou AM moved, and Hina Bokhari AM seconded the following motion:

“This Assembly recognises that the Winter Fuel Payment plays a vital role in helping many older Londoners cover the cost of their heating in winter.

This Assembly believes that, whilst the Government recently announced it would be scrapping the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners not in receipt of Pension Credit, what hasn’t changed is the tremendous effort of Age UK to continue campaigning on this issue. This Assembly pays tribute to the fantastic work that Age UK do.

This Assembly notes that the Winter Fuel Payment, which is an annual tax-free payment for households, or someone born on or before 22 September 1958, goes a long way in helping Londoners cover the cost of their heating in winter.

According to Government data, 11.4 million individuals received a Winter Fuel Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions in the winter to 2023, and it is anticipated that as many as 10 million pensioners will lose their payments under the new plans.

Despite this, Age UK have continued to play a hugely influential role in helping many older Londoners mitigate these changes. Ageing is not an illness, but it can be challenging, and the services and support that Age UK provides, not just in London, but at a national level, is something to which this Assembly pays tribute.

Therefore, this Assembly calls on the Mayor to support Age UK’s campaign to fully reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment and to support Age UK’s work in continuing to help older people who are living in poverty or just above the poverty line in London.”

Following debate and upon being put to the vote, the motion was agreed with 12 votes in favour and 0 against.