'There will be many victims in months to come': Your views on the loss of winter fuel allowance

From Michael Gough, Wombourne:

Here is an answer to the question on pensioner’s lips: why cut the winter heating allowance for pensioners? Maybe someone in government has taken their computer and calculated that many current pensioners won’t be around come the next election. Especially if we have a harsh winter anytime in the next five years where pensioners have to make the choice between heating and eating. What percentage will survive? On current evidence, Keir Starmer, nor his minions, don’t care.

We’re still throwing millions/billions in aid to foreign countries – at least three of which have nuclear weapons. Add on the ‘reward/thank-you’ to junior medics, teachers etc for their ‘striking support’ of the Labour Party, when they were in opposition, and don’t even consider the railwaymen who get a huge no strings pay rise. Wonderful.

All these public sector pay rises are going to do is put pressure on on the private sector employers to match them. Some of us are old enough to remember the ‘winter of discontent’ and rampant runaway inflation which, if I remember, saw inflation reach 25 per cent at one stage.

The electorate put Labour there because they believed the Labour Manifesto as printed. Not what they are doing now. Remember, if you voted Labour, you put them there. With the smallest percentage of votes for such a large majority.

From Jimmy Garnier, Stowe:

Many pensioners in our remote rural community in Shropshire have relied on the annual Winter Fuel Payment to survive the cold and damp winter months as they struggle to make ends meet. They may just be over the threshold to be in receipt of Pension Credit but will not be eligible for the new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.

The government stated that it would not raise tax on working people, but people of pensionable age are fair game as they are not considered to be “working people”, even though many still work to cope with the cost-of-living crisis.Age UK estimates around two million pensioners who really need the money will now lose it. Cutting the Winter Fuel Payment this winter, with virtually no notice and no compensatory measures to protect poor and vulnerable pensioners, is wrong. I’ve signed the ageuk.org.uk online petition to stop the cut for struggling pensioners. If you have elderly neighbours, please consider signing it too