The Government today announced an almighty U-turn on their winter fuel policy with the winter fuel payment being restored to all pensioners this winter. Individuals with an income greater than £35,000 pa will have the payment recouped through the tax system.
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Our immediate reaction to the news today is as follows:
WINTER FUEL VICTORY!
Dennis Reed, Director of Silver Voices, who has led the campaign to restore the winter fuel payment to all pensioners said “This is fantastic news for older people in the UK. The most important aspect of the U-turn is that the payment will be sent automatically to all pensioners, without the need to put in a claim, making sure it will reach everyone who struggled last winter. We had argued that if a cut-off point was necessary, it should be at the higher rate of tax, but an individual cut-off point of £35,000 follows the same principle and is fair. Only 2 million of the better-off pensioners will find that the taxman recoups the payment, and we will look carefully at the details to make sure this is done sensitively. This is a common-sense solution to what has been a running sore for this Government, and we give credit to the Chancellor for putting this issue to bed.”