We sat wrapped in blankets and drained our savings last year – the Winter Fuel Payment u-turn took too long

The Sun

a day ago

LAST winter Jim Whitehouse, 66, and his wife sat shivering on their sofa wrapped in blankets rationing their energy.
They drained some of their small £5,000 savings pot to help pay their gas and electricity, after Rachel Reeves announced Winter Fuel Payment would be axed for 10million pensioners unless they claimed Pension Credit.
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Now, a year later the government has confirmed a massive u-turn - it WILL pay the benefit to anyone earning £35,000 or less without having to claim pension credit.
For Jim, who lives in a small cottage in Shopshire, with his wife, 59, who is unable to work due to health reasons, it's welcome news - but it's taken too long.
"For many £200 doesn't seem like much, but for us it's the difference between a slightly warmer winter and a downright miserable one," Jim said.
He added: "That unnecessary stress put a massive strain on my health and left us either draining our savings to stay warm or sitting on the sofa wrapped in blankets to get through the cold."
"It means we won't have to choose between heating and putting food on the table."
"It's common sense, isn't it? People who've worked hard all their lives shouldn't be left to freeze.
"I'm glad someone's finally seen sense, even if it took them long enough."
Jim, a retired landscape gardener, was one of the thousands of pensioners who called our Winter Fuel SOS helpline last year, as we helped provide support for readers who were worried about their energy bills.
The couple receive an £800 monthly state pension, which meant they were just over the threshold for support last year, missing out the payment.
Jim said: "We drove 40 miles to apply for Universal Credit together, only to be told £800 a month is enough for us to live on… It was baffling."
Jim, who suffers from a chronic heart condition and has had three stents fitted, called the eligibility process "shambolic" and said the stress of it all took a toll on his health.
The £200 extra this winter will allow him to buy logs to heat his small cottage for eight weeks during the cold winter months.
Today, Rachel Reeves will reiterate an embarrassing U-turn on her harsh Winter Fuel cuts as part of her spending review.
The reversal, costing £1.25 billion, was first revealed on Monday.
Under the new rules, all pensioners earning £35,000 or less will now qualify for this year's Winter Fuel Payment.
"I sat in the cold last winter after losing the winter fuel payment"
LAST winter Richard Barton, 70, says he 'literally sat in the cold' after he lost the £300 Winter Fuel Payment.
The retired electrical engineer from Fareham, Hampshire, has just £200 a month after paying his bills as his state pension doesn't stretch far enough.
He still wasn't eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment after it was axed for 10million last year.
To cope with the cold last winter, Richard relied on a fan heater, a thermal blanket, and a hat, confessing that he "literally sat in the cold."
"I only have enough to survive on and I have to rely on savings for bills - this is no way to live your life at my age," he said.
And while he will now get the payment, the lifelong Labour supporter said: "Labour's cuts have quite literally left me out in the cold."
They might have reversed the changes for some of us now, but they've lost my vote for good."
Another couple hit by the payment cull were Norah, 85, and Michael, 81, who after decades of hard work and paying into the system they were forced to endure a freezing winter.
The couple contacted The Sun's Winter Fuel Payment SOS helpline last year.
Michael, a retired foundry engineer who worked until he was 75, and Norah, a former auxiliary nurse and carer, are still struggling with bills.
They have just £300 a month after bills and Michael, who is battling cancer, faces frequent hospital visits for scans, radiation, and chemotherapy, which have added significantly to their monthly outgoings.
Despite owning their home outright and having no debts, the couple have no savings to fall back on.
"We were cold all winter," Norah admitted, explaining how they huddle under blankets to avoid turning on the heating - a situation that worsens her COPD and is far from ideal for her husband's fragile health.
"What upsets us is we've never, ever put in for anything," she said.
"We're not asking for much - we've paid into the system for decades."
The Sun's Winter Fuel S.O.S Campaign
THE Sun's Winter Fuel SOS Campaign was set up to support households following the government's cutbacks.
Around ten million pensioners lost out on the £300 Winter Fuel Payment in Winter 2024.
When we opened out phone lines to thousands of pensioners in October, we provided dedicated tips and advice on how affected households could stretch their finances further.
We also partnered with the poverty charity Turn2Us to launch a free benefits checker, helping ensure that everyone is claiming all the benefits they are entitled to.
Don't miss our latest Sun Money coverage, which includes essential information on key deadlines, applying for support, and everything you need to know about the latest Winter Fuel Payment changes.
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