A MOTION to condemn the government over their decision to scrap the winter fuel allowance will go before a full council meeting this week.

Millions of pensioners will lose winter fuel payments this year after the government won a vote on the plan to restrict the payments to only the poorest pensioners.

Leader of the Conservative group on Cumberland Council, Mike Johnson, has proposed a motion to go before the full council meeting next Friday, September 27 in relation to the changes to the winter fuel allowance and protecting pensioners from fuel poverty.

The motion asks the council to note a number of factors, saying: "The proposal to remove the winter fuel payment (WFP) from pensioners who do not claim pension credit or other means tested benefits has the potential to disproportionately affect our most vulnerable residents, particularly those in rural communities.

"Rural pensioners often live in older, less energy-efficient housing. These homes are typically harder and more expensive to heat due to poor insulation and outdated heating systems.

"Excess winter deaths (EWDs) remain a serious concern, with over 30,000 EWDs recorded in the UK each year, disproportionately affecting older populations. Public Health England reports a 1.5 per cent increase in EWDs for every degree Celsius drop below 18°C, underscoring the critical need for adequate heating.

"That all pensioners deserve to live in warm, safe homes, and that removing support will increase the risk of cold-related illnesses and excess winter deaths among our elderly population."

Mr Johnson's motion resolves to 'condemn the proposal to remove the winter fuel payment from pensioners who do not claim pension credit or are on other benefits, recognising the disproportionate impact this will have on our most vulnerable residents, particularly those in rural communities'.

It also resolves that Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer and Cumberland Council chief executive Andrew Seekings write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in regards to the issue and to 'write to all Members of Parliament in Cumberland enclosing copies of those letters, asking them to make similar representations to Government, and urging them to vote against the Winter Fuel Payment cut at every possible opportunity'. 

The motion has been seconded by Conservative councillor for Gosforth David Moore and will now go before a vote at the meeting on Friday.

The Liberal Democrats have also proposed a motion to go before the council, which if approved will 'instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling for the policy on linking Winter Fuel Payments to Pension Credit receipt to be immediately paused and introduce a new threshold to determine eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments', as well as asking the Chief Executive write to all MPs covering the Cumberland area asking them to give their formal support to halting the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility.

The motion also proposes to 'Request all Group Leaders within Cumberland Council to sign a joint letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling for the new Winter Fuel Payment policy to be suspended and reviewed' and 'Urgently commence a significant awareness campaign to maximise uptake of pension credits. This will include use of council noticeboards, social media, promotion in local press and also targeted letters to those who may be eligible.'