WITH the news that the energy price cap is due to rise by 10 per cent in October, many people across our constituency will be concerned about paying their bills this winter, especially those on low incomes and of course our older residents. 

It is unfortunate that this comes at a time when the new government have decided to stop paying Winter Fuel Payments to the vast majority of pensioners.

It is my hope that the latest news on energy bills prompts a rethink and that pensioners are not left with less support this winter at a time when their bills will be rising.

This is especially concerning when there are also predictions of further rises in January due to the wholesale cost of energy. 

Rural areas like ours can be hit particularly hard by higher energy prices and I know many have already experienced this over recent years.

Our housing stock tends to be much older on average than in urban areas, and thus much less energy efficient. Homes also tend to be larger than in a dense city or large town, which can mean higher bills. And on a basic level, the temperature tends to be slightly higher in urban areas than out in the countryside.

During the spike in energy prices after the pandemic, especially after the war in Ukraine began, the Conservatives in government had stepped in with tens of billions of pounds in cost of living support.

This ranged from council tax rebates, to energy bill discounts, to the Energy Price Guarantee, to targeted cost of living payments for the most vulnerable households which I was responsible for delivering as Secretary of State at the DWP. 

That support included a pensioner cost of living payment worth hundreds of pounds extra on top of the normal Winter Fuel Payment.

That means that for the last few winters pensioners have actually been used to receiving not only their Winter Fuel Payment but an extra amount as well. The blow this winter will therefore be even harder for many. 

I would urge any readers who are over State Pension age, or who have a loved one who is, to check whether they are eligible for Pension Credit if they do not already receive it. The Winter Fuel Payment will now be means tested so that only those on Pension Credit continue to receive it.

Pension Credit tops you up if your income is below a certain threshold and is an important source of support for many, but hundreds of thousands of pensioners eligible for the benefit are not claiming it.

This has been a problem governments have been trying to solve for a long time – my DWP awareness campaigns even recruited big names like Len Goodman and Harry Redknapp to try to get the message out. But many are still not claiming and missing out. 

I hope the government reconsiders.

Older people deserve dignity and security in retirement – and that should include a warm home for the winter.