Pensioner forced to ‘hold back’ on Christmas after Winter Fuel Payment slashing: ‘Thanks to Labour!’
A pensioner claims that he has been forced to hold back on Christmas shopping “thanks to the Government.”
This is due to the impact of a controversial cut to the Winter Fuel Payment scheme.
The decision, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in July, will see around 10 million elderly people lose access to energy bill support worth up to £300 annually.
The measure aims to save the Treasury approximately £1.5billion.
Speaking to GB News, one person said: “I’m saving the money for my winter fuel because of my pension thanks to the government.”
Other shoppers revealed varying approaches to Christmas spending this season.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Patients ‘unfairly penalised’ as one in four NHS trusts raise parking charges
- Drivers to benefit from more car insurance options to help lower prices
- Taxpayers to foot £43bn worth of council debt under Rayner’s ‘devolution revolution’
“I just kind of spread out a bit the shopping a bit and did it quite early. So I think being able to do that was useful,” one shopper explained.
Another noted their changing circumstances: “I think my children are quite a bit older now. So the large amount of gifts not quite the same. So it should be quite an easy one for me.”
The differing experiences come as retailers anticipate one of the biggest shopping days of the year, with many people “clearly leaving it late,” according to Anita Naik from VoucherCodes.co.uk.
Older Britons will need to receive means-tested payments from the Department for Work and Pensions, such as Pension Credit, to qualify for the payment.
Labour has defended the cut as necessary to address a £22billion hole in public finances.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a “tough” decision, citing the state of the country’s finances, while criticising previous Tory governments for avoiding confronting issues around the cost of Winter Fuel Payments.
The combination of higher energy bills and low consumer confidence has led to what Diane Wehrle, founder of Rendle Intelligence and Insights, calls a “cautious Christmas” for consumers.
Retailers anticipate spending of £3bn over what has been dubbed ‘Super Weekend’, with 39.3 million people expected to head to stores or shop online.
Today is predicted to be the busiest day, though shoppers face potential disruption with 23 million people hitting the roads amid 80mph winds in parts of the UK.