Oct 16

Opinion: The government must listen to retired people

  • 16 October 2024
By Josie Irwin, senior national officer for equalities

UNISON is sending a strong message to the government ahead of its budget on 30 October calling for the immediate reinstatement of the winter fuel allowance.

This follows an emergency debate at the union’s retired members conference last week. Delegates voiced deep concern that restricting eligibility to those receiving pension credit means that that too many pensioners will fall between the cracks.

Many of UNISON’s retired members have spent a lifetime working in the public sector, often in low-paid jobs with corresponding paltry pensions.

Pension credit rules are harsh – just a few pennies over the threshold means you don’t qualify. Age UK estimates that just over 2 million people are in this position. They face a double whammy, needing heating for poorly insulated homes just as the cap on energy prices has been raised.

UNISON’s retired members are furious that pensioners who have budgeted for the allowance, have had the rug pulled from under them just as winter approaches.

As well as calling on the chancellor to change her mind, we’re encouraging our retired members to check whether they are entitled to pension credits and get the benefits they are entitled to by using the benefits calculator provided by the union’s welfare charity, There for You.

UNISON has always been against means testing and we’ll speak up for our retired members as we do for working members. Including on the winter fuel allowance.

At conference, retired members also voted to support WASPI’s call for an urgent vote in Parliament on compensation for 1950’s born women affected by the delay in the state pension age.

UNISON will continue to speak out about the failure to communicate the change and the resulting hardship for so many women. Women born in the1950’s need swift action, not more excuses.

UNISON is also supporting the WASPI Can’t Wait – Compensate demonstration outside Parliament on the day of the budget – 30 October. Spread the word and make your voice heard in Westminster.

There for You have listened and the ‘Winter Fuel Grant’ is changing

You said that the Winter Fuel Grant was unfair and took too long.

So, introducing the Winter Essentials Grant. This will still offer up to £200, but will now be given in the form of vouchers, with the application period open for 24 hours. Members will then be chosen at random and contacted for further details.

Application period

In recent years the fund has closed minutes after opening due to huge demand.

By keeping applications open for 24 hours, the charity hopes to make the system more accessible, less dependent on availability during work hours and less stressful.

This year the fund will open for 24h from midday Wednesday 11 December. More details will follow in due course.

The article Opinion: The government must listen to retired people first appeared on the UNISON National site.