Winter fuel allowance failing pension households, expert claims

Mon, 30 Oct 2006

Many UK residents reliant on a pension could find themselves out in the cold this summer, an expert has claimed.

Some 2.8 million Britons drawing a pension are currently living in "fuel poverty", warned comparison company uSwitch.

On average, pension households are forking out nine per cent of their annual income on fuelling their homes, while adults who are using pension credits are spending up to 19 per cent of their income on energy bills, the company's report said.

uSwitch has urged the chancellor to review the winter fuel allowance which is allocated to pension households in the forthcoming Budget.

Ann Robinson, head of consumer policy at uSwitch, commented that the government's policies on dealing with fuel poverty are a "scandal".

"To put things bluntly the government is letting down millions of pensioners yet again as the struggle of people living on a fixed low income for affordable energy continues to worsen."

Recent research from Zurich found that 89 per cent of 18 to 24-year olds predict that they will rely on income other than a state pension after reaching retirement.


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