Local Pensioners will miss out on Cold Weather Payments

6.00.00pm GMT Thu 21st Jan 2010

Many local Pensioners will be forced to cut their Energy Bills

As many as 2,120 pensioners in Gillingham & Rainham will miss out on Cold Weather Payments triggered by the recent weather, according to an analysis of Government figures by Andy Stamp and the Liberal Democrats.

Cold Weather Payments of £25 a week are paid to people on low incomes who receive a qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, but many pensioners who are eligible do not claim Pension Credit and so do not get the Cold Weather Payment.

"It is simply wrong that 'the system' of claiming benefits puts people off claiming and means that many pensioners will miss out unnecessarily" said Andy Stamp, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Gillingham and Rainham.

"With Gillingham & Medway qualifying for several very cold weather periods since 1st November, this money could make a real difference to pensioners struggling to meet the cost of heating their homes in this weather".

"The Labour Government has failed pensioners by creating a complicated system that makes it difficult for them to get the help they desperately need. More effort is needed to identify pensioners who are missing out and get them this extra cash."