Sarah Gibson MP votes to stop Winter Fuel Payment cut

Chippenham’s Liberal Democrat MP, Sarah Gibson, has voted against the Government’s planned cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance.

• 17,011 pensioners in Chippenham constituency are at risk of losing the £300 payment this winter.
• Polling by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that three in four (75%) pensioners expect to be affected by the Government’s cut to winter fuel allowance payments; over half (55%) said they would likely be heating their homes less this winter, while 4 in 10 will look to cut back on other ‘essentials’. 1 in 5 (19%) pensioners are planning to eat less this winter due to the cut.
• All 72 Liberal Democrat MPs voted to stop Labour’s cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance.
• The Labour Government won the vote by 348 to 228, which means that it is highly likely the winter fuel allowance will be cut.

After voting against the cut, Liberal Democrat MP for Chippenham, Sarah Gibson, said: 

“Thousands of pensioners across our communities will be left deeply worried about how they will get by this winter with this cut to the Winter Fuel Payment. So many pensioners are already facing another winter of a cost of living crisis and this will make things worse.

“The damage left by the Conservatives to our economy is unforgivable but cutting payments to vulnerable pensioners across the south west is no way to bring about the change the country deserves. 

“I proudly opposed the Government today and stood up for the many pensioners in the constituency who are now at risk of an even bigger winter cost of living crisis.”