Gideon Amos to oppose changes to Winter Fuel Allowance

The Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington, Gideon Amos, voted against plans to cut the Winter Fuel Payment - however, the move was passed by the Labour government.

Commenting afterwards, Mr Amos said: “Everybody recognises the very richest can manage without the Winter Fuel Payment.

“But the massive mistake made by the government was to push through its removal before putting protections in place for the poorest pensioners. 

“Over three quarters of a million who are eligible for Pension Credit but not registered for it, will now also lose the Winter Fuel Payment, just as winter is coming.

“They are the very poorest pensioners who will now be deeply worried about how they will get by this winter.

“The Conservatives’ crashing of our economy undoubtedly did lasting damage to the public finances - as did the myriad unfunded promises they made just before the election - but none of that should mean the most vulnerable pensioners across Taunton and Wellington should lose a vital payment towards their heating costs.

“The way to bring about the change we need would be to levy taxes on the profits of the biggest banks and energy companies to ensure the poorest older people are always protected before payments like this are removed from anyone.

“I could have supported removing the payment from the richest pensioners but putting the poorest pensioners at risk - as the government has now done - was the wrong way to go about it and I’m proud the Liberal Democrats stood by the very poorest older people in voting against the cut in Parliament last night.

“I’m determined to push for the fair deal I campaigned for in the General Election as will all Liberal Democrat MPs.

That means, as a priority, making sure all eligible pensioners are registered for pension credit so the very poorest do not lose out.

“We really mustn’t see another winter of any vulnerable people feeling frozen and too afraid to turn on the heating.”