‘Why punish the most vulnerable?!’ Emma Woolf BLASTS Rachel Reeves over ‘unfair’ winter fuel payments decision
Political commentator Emma Woolf has hit out at the government after Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to say that “things will get worse before getting better” having faced backlash for slashing winter fuel payments across the country.
In the past, Brits who are of state pension age were allowed to claim up to £300 to help out with winter energy bill but the newly elected Labour government has changed the rules meaning that households will now need to receive means-tested benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions before they claim the allowance.
The decision was announced by the Government as the Chancellor warned of a black hole in the public finances.
Speaking on Tuesday, Keir Starmer is expected to say that the government has also taken on a “societal black hole” and “thing will only get worse.”
Speaking to GB News, Woolf fumed: “When we have Starmer’s speech tomorrow, which has been heavily talked about, saying that there’s corruption and there’s rot and blah, blah, blah.
“These are the tough choices we need to make about cutting the fuel payments for pensioners.
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“The tough choices should be applied to everybody. Why are the tough choices being made on pensioners and not on public sector pay?
“Tough choices should be made with equity, with fairness. This is not fair. The fact is there is a huge amount, £13.9billion wasted in fraud and error.
“That’s not on the Labour Party because they weren’t in government. Whitehall need to clean up their act. Stop punishing the most vulnerable.”
The Government has told the pensioners who are struggling to try and use Pension Credit, and has stated that they have remained committed to the older generation.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “The dire state of the public finances we inherited from the previous Government means we’ve had to make some very difficult decisions.
“Our commitment to supporting pensioners remains, which is why we are maintaining the triple lock.
“We want pensioners to get the support they are entitled to.
“That’s why I urge all pensioners to check whether they are eligible for Pension Credit.”
Tomorrow the Prime Minister is expected to say: “Things are worse than we ever imagined.
“And that is why we have to take action and do things differently. Part of that is being honest with people – about the choices we face. And how tough this will be.
“Frankly – things will get worse before they get better.”