Recommendation 12

Our predecessor Committee is amongst those that have criticised Winter Fuel Payments for being poorly targeted and a ‘blunt instrument’ for tackling fuel poverty. As a universal payment, WFP went to pensioners who did not need it, and its real terms value has dwindled over two decades since it was introduced. However, we heard very clearly that pensioners valued it, had come to rely on it and that it gave them “confidence to turn the heating on.” The change in eligibility was announced in July, giving limited time for older people and organisations working with them to prepare for the coming winter, and followed years of high energy prices. Whatever the merits of the change, it created uncertainty and anxiety for pensioners about how they would manage. (Conclusion, Paragraph 87)