49% of older people in England who will lose their Winter Fuel Payment said they were planning to only heat and spend time in one room. 20% were already planning to do this but now an additional 29% said they will resort to this measure because of the change.  

Ahead of a hand-in of more than 500,000 signatures calling on the UK Government to protect the Winter Fuel Payment, new research from Independent Age has found that 44% of older people (65+) in England think losing the Winter Fuel Payment will negatively impact their physical health¹.  

The new polling also shows that many people in later life feel they will be forced to change their behaviour this winter due to losing the payment: 

• 49% of older people in England who will lose their Winter Fuel Payment said they were planning to only heat and spend time in one room. 20% were already planning to do this but now an additional 29% said they will resort to this measure because of the change.  
• 43% of older people in England who will lose their Winter Fuel Payment said they were planning to wear outdoor clothes indoors, for example hats and coats. 15% were already planning to do this and now an additional 28% said they will make this change, which they hadn’t expected to do before losing the Winter Fuel Payment. 

Older people set to lose the Winter Fuel Payment and organisations who support them will deliver the signatures to Downing Street and The Treasury on Wednesday 16th October to challenge plans to means test the entitlement this winter. The signatures are from combined petitions and open letters led by charities and campaigning organisations including Independent Age, 38 Degrees, Silver Voices and Organise. The hand-in is also being supported by other organisations including End Fuel Poverty Coalition, National Pensions Convention, Uplift and Fuel Poverty Action 

The latest UK Government figures estimate that only 65% of eligible older people receive Pension Credit, meaning up to 760,000 eligible households will lose the Winter Fuel Payment this year.  

There is also concern among the coalition for the older people whose income is just above the Pension Credit threshold. This group live on a low income but will still lose the Winter Fuel Payment. 

Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive of Independent Age said:  “Tying the Winter Fuel Payment to Pension Credit now will see far too many older people fall through the cracks. Pension Credit still has a stubbornly low take up and in addition there is a large group of older people living just above the entitlement’s threshold, sometimes by just a few pounds. People in this situation will now have this vital money taken away from them. That’s why we are heading to Downing Street to urge the UK Government to protect the payment for those in later life living on low incomes.  

“With winter around the corner, now is the time to bring older people on a low income back in from the cold.”   

She continued: “If the UK Government is determined to go ahead with this change at some point in the future, there must be an immediate action plan to ensure all eligible older people receive Pension Credit, which will also guarantee them the Winter Fuel Payment. We would also want to see the payment extended to those on low incomes but not in receipt of Pension Credit, for example older renters who receive Housing Benefit. Older renters are more likely to live in poverty and need this extra financial support.  

“In the long-term an appropriate income to avoid financial hardship in later life needs to be established. If all parties can agree on this amount, then robust plans can be put in place to ensure everyone has enough money to live well when they are older.”