Older people will bear the brunt of the energy price rise which happens today 1st October – coincidentally the UN International Day of Older Persons.
The NPC, the UK’s largest campaigning organisation run for and by older people says it is a terrible irony that a day intended to celebrate the older generation across the world will instead mark the start of ‘a bleak winter’ for millions in the UK.
Analysis by NPC partners, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition shows that in real terms the changes in the energy price cap and loss of the universal Winter Fuel Payment means from today millions of older people face their highest energy bills on record.*
The energy price cap, set by industry regulator Ofgem for the period from 1st October to 31st December will see bills for a typical household that uses both electricity and gas and pays by direct debit go up to £1,717 per year. This is 10% up from the previous quarter, which was capped at £1,568 per year.
But the End Fuel Poverty Coalition charity figures show the removal of winter fuel payments means pensioners’ energy bills have soared by 131pc since the start of the energy crisis (2021) – the equivalent to £975 a year, while younger households’ bills have risen by 65pc, or £675 a year, over the same period.
The NPC is holding a Rally outside Parliament at midday on Monday, 7th October to call on the government to delay the fuel payment cuts for 10 million older people to avert a disaster that could cost lives this winter.
Jan Shortt, NPC General Secretary comments: “Today is the International Day of Older Persons to both celebrate older people's contributions to society and highlight the challenges they face. Currently, the biggest challenge facing older people is the loss of the winter fuel payment for the coming winter. Coupled with a 10% hike in energy prices now and a further 3% expected in January 2025, older people will be facing the highest energy bills for years.
“With energy now at 65% higher than in 2021, the loss of the winter fuel payment is a huge blow to those who will have to make critical choices about heating, eating and paying other bills.
“There is no justification for the removal of the winter fuel allowance from all bar those on pension credit. Fuel poverty is across society. With Ofgem allowing a margin of 11% profit to energy companies already posting the highest profits since the crisis, it is going to be a bleak winter.”
The government won a vote earlier this month on its plans to remove winter fuel payments, worth around £200-300, from older and vulnerable people in England and Wales who are not on pension credit, or a handful of other entitlements. The decision is expected to save the government around £1.3bn in 2024/25. The decision will see the number of older people receiving help with their energy bills drop from 11.4 million to 1.5 million.
The NPC believes ending universal support will tragically lead to many falling ill and thousands dying. And we are far from alone – we will be joined on 7th October at Westminster by among others, Age UK, Disability Rights UK, Independent Age, the WASPI campaign, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, and Fuel Poverty Action, and as well as unions like Unite, who are calling for the cuts to be reversed, or at least delayed. There will also be protests in Northern Ireland, and in Scotland led by the Scottish Pensioners’ forum.
* End Fuel Poverty https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/energy-bills-up-10-as-pensioners-face-worst-prices-on-record/
NB: Age UK’s petition against the cuts already has more than half a million signatures – you can still sign here: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/campaigning/save-the-winter-fuel-payment
ENDS
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