Dear Editor,
The Energy Secretary says he is going to sort out the big energy
companies. But energy bills continue to rise, millions are in fuel
poverty and low income households are struggling with the effects of
rising prices. The tax-free Winter Fuel Allowance is being cut from
£250 to £200 for the over 60’s and from £400 to £300 for the over
80s. It’s hard enough for pensioners to keep warm in winter, and
this cut is bound to make it harder.
The Green Party agree with Public and Commercial Service-PCS Union
research showing the country is loosing at least £120 billion a year
from tax avoidance and evasion. It is therefore scandalous that the
most vulnerable are faced with large cuts in their fuel allowances.
Yours Sincerely.
Bernard Little.
Co-Chair Sheffield & Rotherham Green Party
Completely agree. Would means-testing be more appropriate? My in-laws are well off, both retired by age 60 and living on his Civil Service pension, yet they still receive £250 every each (which they give away to Age UK). If Winter Fuel allowance were treated in this way, would that not be fairer?
Completely agree by the way that we could wipe the deficit overnight with a cleaning up of tax evasion. I remember once stating to a friend that if we took a fifth of the earnings from the top 1% of society, we’d wipe out the UK’s national debt. “Why should they pay a fifth of their earnings?” he asked. “Because the rest of us bloody do!” was my response!