A union in Northern Ireland has said leaving the payout of a one-off £100 fuel payment for pensioners until spring is an "unacceptable failure."
After changes were made to the Winter Fuel Payment last year, communities minister Gordon Lyons announced a new one-off fuel payment would be paid to pensioners who were impacted by the cuts. It's estimated the winter fuel payment cuts would affect around 249,000 pensioners in Northern Ireland.
Announcing the new £100 payment in November 2024, the Minister said he wanted to ensure every pensioner has support to "stay warm and safe" during the winter. He added payments would be made by March 2025.
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Earlier this week, it was revealed the payment had not begun rolling out yet, with Minister Lyons stating it would be made "by the end of March." Now, the union Unite said the committment offers little comfort to vulnerable pensioners and carers struggling to heat homes.
They said delaying vital financial support until spring is an "unacceptable failure" and "risks leaving older people in cold homes throughout the harshest months of the year."
Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham said: “The dither and delay on this payment is totally unacceptable and risks the health of the elderly. Ensuring warm homes is a matter of dignity and respect.”
The Department for Communities has launched an equality impact assessment (EQIA) consultation on these changes which closes on March 4. Unite has urged all pensioners, their families, and community organisations to respond to this consultation and make their voices heard.
Unite calls on the Department for Communities to:
Immediately prioritise the rollout of the promised £100 winter fuel payments to eligible pensioners in Northern Ireland. Delays are unacceptable when people’s health and wellbeing are at risk Reinstate the universal winter fuel payment, ensuring that no pensioner is left behind simply because they fall just outside the threshold for means-tested benefits. Engage meaningfully with pensioner organisations and community groups to develop a sustainable strategy for alleviating fuel poverty in Northern Ireland.Research conducted by Unite has shown that over two-thirds of its retired members have had to turn their heating down this year, a third are taking fewer baths or showers, and 16 per cent have cut back on hot meals due to the increased costs of trying to stay warm.
Unite retired members chair, Brian Heading said: "Pensioners in Northern Ireland are already disproportionately affected by fuel poverty with energy costs among the highest in the UK. The decision by Westminster to restrict winter fuel payments to only those on means-tested benefits has excluded thousands of older people here who are just above the eligibility threshold but unable to afford rising energy bills.
“The DfC's promise of a one-off £100 payment for these pensioners pales in comparison to what they previously received—and even this meagre payment has yet to be delivered.”
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