Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has faced calls to apologise to pensioners losing winter fuel allowance as MPs, including those on the Government benches, expressed concerns about older people’s ability to heat their homes.
The Government announced in July that it would issue winter fuel payments only to pension credit recipients or claimants of some other means-tested benefits, including universal credit – meaning about 10 million people will lose the allowance this year.
Charities have called for a U-turn and both the Conservatives and the Greens have called for the payments to be made available to all pensioners.
During Energy questions in the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Miliband was challenged to apologise directly to pensioners who would be losing their fuel allowance by his opposition counterpart, Claire Coutinho.
Ms Coutinho said: “The Secretary of State promised in the general election to cut everyone’s bills by £300 by 2030 a pledge he won’t repeat now he’s in office, and in fact, one of his first acts has been to snatch the same amount away from millions of pensioners in poverty.
“Now (Mr Miliband) likes to preach, he likes to politicise, he likes, dare I say, to patronise, but I have one very simple question for him, to the millions of pensioners who are worried about their heating bills this Christmas – will he apologise?”
Mr Miliband responded: “The people who should be apologising are the last government that left this country in a total mess, a £22 billion black hole.
“I have to say to (Ms Coutinho) she does have a brass neck. She said of (Kemi Badenoch) who she’s backing for the leadership contest, she tells the truth. And what did (Ms Badneoch) say? I have people in my constituency telling me they don’t need the winter fuel payments. Why do we not have a mechanism for means testing?”
Ms Coutinho replied: “No apology, no recognition that it’s his Government’s decisions that are going to leave pensioners in the cold this winter.”
Labour MP Debbie Abrahams also raised concerns that pensioners and disabled people living in low income households will not be able to access support with energy bills.
The chairwoman of the Work and Pensions Committee told the Commons that escalation in energy prices are putting particular pressure on households with low incomes and those with high energy needs, such as disabled people and pensioners.
She said: “I absolutely agree the warm homes discount scheme is very valuable but it is limited, and I am concerned for people, as I say, in high energy need, those on low incomes who might fall foul of the system as it stands.”
Energy minster Miatta Fahnbulleh said the Government has been “working flat out with energy suppliers” to ensure there is a “proper package of support in place this winter so that we can support families that we know are struggling with their bills”.
Conservative former minister Sir Desmond Swayne then argued that it would “have been better to put that proper package of support in place before they withdrew the winter fuel allowance from so many pensioners”.
Ms Fahnbulleh replied: “Yes we have means-tested the winter fuel payment, but we have also been absolutely clear that we will do whatever we can do to support vulnerable households.”
Elsewhere in the session, shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie said the Government should “invest at pace in new nuclear” to increase green energy capacity, while Conservative MP Greg Smith accused the Government of being “anti-nuclear”, instead putting forward “plans for inefficient technology that will destroy the countryside”.
Energy minister Michael Shanks replied: “Well I mean I will give credit to the party opposite on one thing – they were very good at making grand announcements.
“But on delivery, they were much poorer.”
He added: “In 14 years, how many nuclear power stations were built under the party opposite? None. We will get on with doing the work.”
Also during energy questions, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle praised Mr Miliband’s looks, when directing MPs to address him rather than the Energy Secretary.
“You’re meant to go through the chair, you’re looking at the Secretary of State. As good looking as he is, it’s easier if you come through me directly so I can pick it up,” Sir Lindsay said.
Mr Miliband said: “Thank you Mr Speaker, and you too if I may say so.”