Scottish ministers 'in the dark' over winter fuel payment U-turn

3 hours ago

Scottish pensioners could be worse off than those in England and Wales

Getty Images An older woman sits on a couch with a cup between her hands. She has her feet on a stool next to a heater — Scottish pensioners could be worse off than those in England and Wales

The Scottish government says it has been left in the dark over a surprise decision to reinstate winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners in England and Wales

Scotland's Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said ministers were not consulted on the major U-turn announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

More than 75% of pensioners in England and Wales will be entitled to the new annual payment of up to £300 after the UK government abandoned one of its first - and most controversial - policies.

Scotland has already created a devolved benefit of £100 for all pensioner households, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands of Scots worse off than their counterparts in England and Wales.

More than 75% of pensioners to get winter fuel payment as Reeves confirms major U-turn

Labour hopes to put winter fuel misstep behind them

Last July, Reeves drew widespread criticism over cuts to the winter fuel payment - a lump sum of £200 a year for households with a pensioner under 80, or £300 for households with a pensioner over 80 - in a bid to save an estimated £1.4bn.

In response, the Scottish government introduced a new scheme offering those in receipt of qualifying benefits like Pension Credit £200 or £300 depending on their age, and £100 for all other pensioner households.

However, while the benefit for pensioners above the income threshold will be clawed back through tax, richer pensioners in Scotland will be able to keep the payment.

Following the latest announcement from Westminster, Scottish pensioners who do not get pension credit but whose income is below that £35,000 threshold are expected to receive £100 less than if they lived in England or Wales.

There are 1.1 million pensioners in Scotland living in 751,000 pensioner households. Almost 17% of these households receive pension credit.

Shirley-Anne Somerville said Scottish ministers had not been consulted

Getty Images Shirley-Anne Somerville, who has shoulder-length hair and dark glasses, is wearing a black top with a bright pink jacket. — Shirley-Anne Somerville said Scottish ministers had not been consulted

The Treasury has said the "uplift" for the Scottish government will be £250m, delivered in the usual autumn budget.

Shirley-Anne Somerville said Scotland introduced a winter heating payment for all pensioners because of the UK government's "betrayal of millions of pensioners".

She said the Scottish government welcomed the U-turn, but "there is still no detail about how the Chancellor intends to go about that".

The social justice secretary said: "We have once again not been consulted on the policy and its implications in Scotland and will scrutinise the proposals carefully when they are announced.

"I would therefore urge the UK government to ensure the Scottish government is fully appraised of the proposed changes as soon as possible."

Scottish Labour has called on the SNP to ensure Scots are not "left behind".

"The SNP must not go ahead with plans that would rob poorer pensioners in order to fund payments for millionaires," Labour MSP Paul O'Kane said.

"The SNP must re-examine their own proposals in light of this game-changing announcement, ensure payments reach those most in need, and give a cast-iron guarantee that no struggling Scottish pensioners will be left out of pocket under their plans."

Peter and Flo Fanning took the UK and Scottish governments to court over the origingal benefits decision

Pater and Flo Fanning are sitting at a table with paper and glasses of water on it. Peter, who has his arms crossed is bald and is wearing black glasses and a green and cream striped shirt. Flo has blonde hair and is wearing a flowery blue and pink dress and a grey, patterned neck scarf — Peter and Flo Fanning took the UK and Scottish governments to court over the origingal benefits decision

Pensioners Peter and Flo Fanning, from Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire, took the UK and Scottish governments to court over the decision to cut winter fuel payments.

They alleged that both governments failed to adequately consult with those of pension age and did not release an equality impact assessment on the changes.

They also claimed the decision to end the £300 benefit for thousands of pensioners across the country last year was "irrational" and breached their human rights.

Speaking after the UK government's U-turn, Mr Fanning told BBC Scotland News: "We feel vindicated. There was possibly a thought from Westminster that pensioners would just roll over and lie down and accept it.

"What's been proved is that pensioners are a force to be reckoned with. You can't mess with them – you need to think about all the life experience they've had.

"I think they've got to think about the pensioners who worked all their days and got a works pension that puts them over the limit.

"What are they saying to pensioners? Don't save for your future because you're going to be better off if you don't have a works pension":[]}