Age Cymru responds to the announcement that Winter Fuel Payments will be reinstated to pensioners with incomes of £35,000 or less

Heather Ferguson, Head of Policy and Projects at Age Cymru said: “The UK Government's Winter Fuel Payment announcement makes this a good day for older people across Wales.  

“The decision to restore the Winter Fuel Payment to pensioners - all but those on the highest incomes who should be able to pay their heating bills without it - is the right thing to do and something that will bring some much-needed reassurance for older people and their families. 

"Of course, we would much have preferred it had the UK Government taken this approach last summer, but we are pleased it means that older people in Wales can look ahead to the coming winter with more confidence. This will be a huge relief to many of them and to us at Age Cymru too. 

“We saw the results in the winter just gone, with many pensioners on low and modest incomes not even trying to keep their homes sufficiently warm, for fear of running up a sky-high bill. We must avoid a repeat this year and if the UK Government is to reform its policy in a way that achieves this, we will be both pleased and relieved. 

"We would like to express our gratitude to the over 30,000 people in Wales who signed petitions, wrote to their MPs and MS’ and took other action to encourage the UK Government to change course. You spoke, they listened."