SNP must follow Labour's plans after UK Government winter fuel U-turn, says MSP
Readers may be aware of the welcome news from the UK Labour Government on Winter Fuel Payments for older people this week.
The move means that more than three quarters of pensioners in England and Wales will receive the payment this winter.
Households with a pensioner under 80 years old will receive £200, while those with one over 80 will receive £300.
But by restricting it to those with an income of, or below, £35,000 per year, the UK Labour Government is also making sure that rich millionaires who simply don't need the payment won't get it.
Pensioners in England and Wales with incomes of, or below, £35,000 a year will receive winter fuel payments after a U-turn by the UK Government - and Neil Bibby says the Scottish Government will have no choice but to follow suit for older people north of the border. (Image: Newsquest) This is a response to the many concerns raised that the threshold for eligibility was too low. It's not often governments listen and make changes when they get things wrong, but it is refreshing, and I am glad they have.
This news is fantastic for pensioners south of the border who were worried about heating their homes this winter.
But it is also great news for pensioners in Scotland because the SNP Government will now have no choice but to follow suit.
This decision will bring even more money to Scotland - so there is no excuse not to pass it on.
READ MORE: Inverclyde councillors rubber-stamp £600,000 fuel help to more than 1,000 needy pensioners
The SNP Government also needs to follow Labour's plan because, since the payment was devolved in Scotland, many lower- and middle-income Scottish pensioners are due to get less money than they would elsewhere in the UK.
The SNP's current plans mean that Scottish pensioners who are not in receipt of specific benefits will only receive £100.
Since the UK Government's initial announcement on the Winter Fuel Payment last year, Scottish Labour has continued to call for a Scottish solution to the issue.
READ MORE: 12,500 households in Inverclyde set to lose up to £300 to help keep warm this winter
Indeed, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar stated last November that he would reinstate the payment and extend the eligibility threshold if elected into government in 2026.
The UK Labour government's expansion of the Winter Fuel Payment is a game-changer and good news for pensioners.
The SNP Scottish Government should now follow suit without delay to ensure that pensioners in Scotland get the benefit.
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