Recent election results have shown how unpopular the callous decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment for over 10 million older people last winter has been. The vast majority of the public supports a complete reversal of this policy and the Government must now admit it made a mistake, apologise to pensioners, and reverse the policy before next winter. 

Only the small minority of pensioners on pension credit continues to receive energy support to help them keep warm during the winter. To qualify for pension credit and a host of other benefits, older people have to have an income of less than £227 per week (for a single person), which means that almost anyone with a small private pension is disqualified. 

According to the charities 2-3 million older people have been struggling to pay their energy bills as a result of the winter fuel cuts. Deaths from hypothermia and other cold-related causes will continue to  increase unless the policy is reversed. 

Silver Voices will campaign with vigour to convince politicians that this cruel policy must be reversed and that older people should not be the ones targeted to pay for the country's financial difficulties. 

The Prime Minister announced a U-Turn on this policy on 21 May, but with no details on how many older people would become eligible or when the policy would be implemented. He appeared to suggest that the policy would not be changed until the Autumn Budget by which time it would be too late to restore the winter fuel payment before next winter. 

The Prime Minister must clarify his position urgently and certainly by the time of the Spending Review statement in mid-June.