Declining value of Winter Fuel Payment leaves pensioners in the cold

2.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 22nd Feb 2008

The Liberal Democrats have published figures showing Winter Fuel Payment now only pays for a quarter of a pensioner's fuel bills. While the amount of the Payment has been frozen at £200 for five years, fuel bills and the profits of energy companies have both risen. This has resulted in the value of the Payments halving.

As fuel bills rise, thousands of older people won't be able to afford to heat their homes this winter. While the cost of heating homes has rocketed and the value of the basic state pension has plummeted, the Government has frozen the Winter Fuel Payment at £200 for five years. The Liberal Democrats would restore the earnings link to pensions to ensure older people would be better off.