MAREE TODD: Highlands will bear the brunt of Labour winter fuel payment decision
Holyrood Notebook by Maree Todd
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s promise that Labour would not follow the path of the Tories by imposing austerity measures has been broken in just a matter of weeks.
Under this UK Labour government, the Scottish Government will see a funding cut of up to £160 million, following Labour’s decision to reduce funding for the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) and introduce means-testing.
The Scottish Government has been preparing to launch the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) this winter, designed to be a like-for-like replacement of WFP, administered by Social Security Scotland. But, with Labour’s funding cut – amounting to nearly 90 per cent of the replacement benefits cost – this has forced the Scottish Government to replicate the policy.
Despite the UK Labour government’s previous commitment to improve relations with the Scottish Government, this change was made without any consultation or discussion with the devolved administrations.
When the Tories looked to introduce means-testing measures last year, Labour pushed back, stating: “Pensioners mustn’t be forced to bear the brunt of Tory economic failure”. The same Labour Party is now imposing this exact policy on Scotland. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.
While millions of pensioners across the UK face financial uncertainty following the Chancellor’s announcement, it will be the Highlands, with some of the highest fuel poverty rates in the country, that will bear the brunt of Labour’s decision.
The average rate of fuel poverty in Scotland is 24 per cent, but in the Highland region, it is a staggering 33 per cent.
In Caithness and Sutherland, fuel poverty rates are not only higher, but the severity is much worse, according to research conducted by Changeworks.
Related articles:
• Pensioners in the Highlands will pay the price as winter fuel payments are scrapped
The combination of our geography, harsh winters, and ageing building stock, which is often more challenging to make energy-efficient, means that those living in the far north are more likely to be fuel poor.
It is difficult to understand how Labour arrived at the decision to slash support for pensioners, given that the UK has one of the lowest state pensions in the OECD and pension poverty is worsening amid a cost-of-living crisis.
This is just a signal of what’s to come under Labour.
The “change” we were all promised during the election campaign has, as expected, turned out to be empty rhetoric. Under Labour, “change” clearly just means more of the same.
The complete silence from Scottish Labour on this issue also speaks volumes. Anas Sarwar, who once vowed to confront Keir Starmer over policy decisions he disagreed with, has failed to stand up for Scottish pensioners.
Once again, Scotland is being let down by another UK government.
Although I have little expectation for any significant or meaningful policy changes under Labour, I recently wrote, in anticipation, to the new Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband. I urged the UK government to meet the Scottish Government’s request to decouple gas and electricity prices, implement urgent energy market reforms, and address the needs of rural communities hosting energy infrastructure.
The status quo is not good enough. In an area so rich in energy resources, it is an injustice that we face such high rates and depths of fuel poverty.
I look forward to hearing how Labour plans to deliver for our rural Highland communities.
• Maree Todd is the SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross.