Residents of Milton Keynes Face Wipe out of Winter Fuel Payment

7.57.00pm GMT Sun 10th Feb 2008

Liberal Democrats in Milton Keynes are calling on the Government to protect local pensioners from energy price rises. Recent increases in the cost of electricity and gas are set to wipe out pensioners' winter fuel payment.

"Elderly and disabled people are hardest hit by the fuel price hikes, which more than wipe out the value of the Winter Fuel Payment," said Jill Hope, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Milton Keynes North.

"|According to the last census, there are about 12,000 pensioners in Milton Keynes. The recent fuel cost rises will put them in a financially difficult position.

"The Government must do far more to combat fuel poverty. The top priority must be to end the scandal where pensioners are paying a fortune to heat draughty houses, where a lot of the heat is simply wasted. This is a waste of scarce cash and also makes no sense for the environment.

"In many other European countries with much colder weather, household energy bills are lower because homes are better insulated and heating is more energy-efficient.

"The Government needs to get its act together and make sure that our pensioners don't have to make a choice between heating and eating on cold winter days."