Labour-run Milton Keynes City Council will be offering help to pensioners in Milton Keynes using funding recently announced by the government.
Cllr Peter Marland, Labour Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, has written to the city’s three Labour MPs outlining how the Labour council intends to use part of the Household Support Fund to help pensioners in MK.
Last week the government voted to limit the payment of Winter Fuel Allowance to pensioners on the low incomes claiming Pension Credit, or other similar benefits. The change was necessary to plug a £22bn financial black hole the new government inherited from the previous Conservative government.
However, there has been concern over the number of pensioners who do not claim Pension Credit even if they were entitled to do so, and the impact on those pensioners whose income is just above the benefit threshold.
The city council will use part of its Household Support Fund to:
Provide access to energy vouchers for people who need them and earn between 1p and £1000 a year over the Pensioner Credit threshold limit.
Continue our council communications and publicity campaign to ensure older people claim Pension Credit and all the benefits they are entitled to.
Support councillors and other agencies to sign-post people to help and advice.
Details of how the support will work will be made available before it is likely to start in October.
The proposals build on work the council has been doing over the past few years to support vulnerable people during the Cost-of-Living crisis. Last year, the council identified around 700 pensioners who were not claiming Pension Credit who were entitled to it and ensured around £250,000 additional benefits were claimed by older people.
The Labour-run council has also said it intends to use the Household Support Fund to ensure other groups being impacted by the cost-of-living crisis are able to access appropriate help and support.
Cllr Peter Marland, Leader of Milton Keynes City Council said:
“Labour-run Milton Keynes City Council has a strong record of ensuring we provide support to those in a difficult financial situation. I am pleased our three new Labour MPs have been able to secure an additional funding from the government to help us carry on helping those most impacted by the Conservative cost-of-living crisis.”
He continued:
“I think everyone realises that the new government will have to make difficult decisions to fix the foundations of this country and repair the damage caused by the last Conservative government. Limiting Winter Fuel Allowance to those on the low incomes claiming Pension Credit is one of those.
“However, we also recognise that there are some concerns around that change that need to be met, especially regarding those just above the income threshold and those people who are entitled to claim Pension Credit and other similar benefits but don’t.
He concluded:
“Milton Keynes City Council will be using some of our Household Support Fund to ensure people just above the income threshold will be able to access energy vouchers if they need them, and we will be running various campaigns to ensure people sign up to Pension Credit and other benefits they are entitled to.
“We will continue to work with our new Labour MPs not only to ensure people get the immediate support they need but in the longer term move away from crisis support to getting people out of poverty.”
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