Nearly 200,000 Scots OAPs won’t get winter fuel help after the SNP broke their promise on universal payments.
The Scottish Government announced yesterday that it would only provide its new devolved benefit to those earning less than £35,000.
They will receive payments of £203.40 or £305.10 – figures which have been set marginally higher than the £200 and £300 rates offered south of the Border.
But those with personal incomes above £35,000 a year – including pensions, investments and other earnings – will have the payments recovered from them through the tax system.
It means that 853,000 will receive the payment and get to keep it, while around 192,000 – or nearly one in five – will have it clawed back because they earn more than £35,000.
This is despite the SNP previously pledging that they would provide a ‘universal’ payment this winter, with everyone receiving at least £100.
Scottish Conservative social security spokesman Liz Smith said: ‘The SNP, like Labour, shamefully betrayed pensioners by axing universal winter fuel payments, before being forced into a humiliating climbdown by the public outcry.
‘But this latest announcement means that hundreds of thousands of Scots will not have the payment even partially restored – despite John Swinney’s promise that they would.
First Minister John Swinney has been accused of breaking his promise over the payments
‘This latest slap in the face will not be forgotten or forgiven.’
A series of policy announcements and U-turns have been made about winter fuel payments since the Labour government first announced cuts last year.
Over the past winter, only those on pension credit received a payment following the initial cuts by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the SNP’s decision to delay the introduction of the devolved pension age winter heating payments.
First Minister John Swinney committed earlier this week to ensuring that all pensioners receive at least the same amount as those in England.
But when SNP ministers unveiled the full detail of their plan yesterday, it was confirmed that the intention is for those with income above £35,000 to have this clawed back through the tax system.
The Scottish Government confirmed 133,000 pensioners in receipt of pension credit were already receiving winter fuel payments over the last winter, while an additional 720,000 with earnings below £35,000 will become eligible this winter.
Adam Stachura, policy director at Age Scotland, said: ‘While this is a considerable increase for the vast majority of pensioners compared to what the Scottish Government had originally planned, it only really brings it back to what they received two winters ago. Around four in ten Scottish pensioners were living in fuel poverty then, and it will have sky-rocketed since.
‘The policy making on this payment has been guddled, lacked consultation, and politically charged throughout.
‘While this is partly to do with the speed of the UK Government’s original change and subsequent U-turn, the Scottish Government’s repeated commitment to universality and its benefits has been abandoned in a heartbeat.
‘While in the end this payment is broadly now proportionally fairer, it doesn’t really match the material need of most older people and take advantage of the financial means the government has available to improve it.’
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: ‘The UK Government’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payment last winter was a betrayal of millions of pensioners, and their recent U-turn is welcome if belated.
‘Following careful consideration of the options available, the Scottish Government will mirror the approach taken by the UK Government. We will bring forward regulations to ensure that, from this winter onwards, all pensioners will receive either £203.40 or £305.10 per household, depending on age.
‘We are in discussion with the UK Government to extend the proposed arrangements in England and Wales to recover payments from those pensioners with an individual income of more than £35,000 through the tax system.
‘The intention is that the payment will be recovered automatically, and pensioners will not need to register with HMRC for this or take any further action.
‘This approach ensures a higher level of support which those most in need will receive.
‘Over 720,000 Scottish pensioners are estimated to benefit from the higher payment.’
