Gordon Lyons follows Rachel Reeves and introduces means-testing for pensioners’ Winter Fuel Payment

Mr. Lyons said he would be following the lead of the British Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who announced in July that Winter Fuel Payments in England and Wales would would be restricted to those people receiving Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits only.

“I strongly disagree with this decision,” said Mr. Lyons.

However, he said he had no choice but to proceed with means-testing due to the budgetary situation.

“The estimated additional cost to the Block Grant of maintaining universal entitlement to a Winter Fuel Payment in Northern Ireland for Winter 2024/25 is £44.3 million, and this does not include any additional delivery or staffing costs.

“Regrettably, there is no additional resource available in the budget to allow us to diverge from the UK Government decision without significantly cutting other public services,” he said.

SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan has said that pensioners across the North will suffer following the Executive’s decision to means test the Winter Fuel Payment.

Foyle MLA Mr Durkan said: “The Executive has tried to dress up this decision as one to ‘maintain parity with the rest of the UK’, but make no mistake, they had the power not to introduce this punitive and punishing measure in the North but didn’t take it – now thousands of pensioners will suffer as a result.

"The decision taken by the UK Government last month was the wrong one and the one taken by the Executive today is just as bad.

“Every winter hundreds of old people here die because of the cold weather and related conditions. Many others struggle to heat their homes, wrapping themselves in blankets and heavy clothing in an attempt to keep warm.

"I have even heard stories of pensioners forced to stay in bed all day because they simply can’t afford to turn the heating on. Surely our older generation deserve better than this.”

Mr. Lyons said he has made clear to the British Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall his ‘total opposition to this decision and outlined the detrimental impact it will have on many people in Northern Ireland’.

“I am committed to ensuring that people can access all the support to which they are entitled and would encourage anyone affected by these changes to check their benefit entitlement.

“My Department offers a free and confidential Make the Call Wraparound Service which puts people in touch with any benefits, supports and services to which they may be entitled.

“Pension Credit, in particular, can be a vital top-up for pensioners on low incomes and will be a determining factor for eligibility of the Winter Fuel Payment,” he said.

DfC’s helpline can be contacted at 08002321271 (Phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm (excluding public holidays) or by Email: at [email protected]. Further details are available on NI Direct at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/make-call-service.

The Northern Ireland Pension Centre’s Pension Credit Application Line can also be reached directly on 08081006165 (open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm), or by applying online at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/apply-pension-credit-online.

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