Tower Hamlets Mayor opening a 'Warm Hub', designed to help elderly residents.
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Tower Hamlets Council has launched a scheme offering £175 cash payments to pensioners that it has assessed as in need.
This scheme aims to help with the economic pressures of heating over the winter for the elderly and will impact those most in need who are on pension credit.
According to the Department of Work and Pension, Tower Hamlets has the largest proportion of pensioners receiving pension credit within any local constituency in England, at the level of 44%.
The council is amongst a selection of London councils seeking to offer a local winter fuel payment scheme to boost the funds provided nationally.
Wandsworth Council is offering payments of £300 for pensioners aged 80 or over, and £200 for pensioners aged under 80.
A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council revealed that it was funding the scheme, costing £1m to implement, with a combination of the council’s funds and the DWP’s household support fund.
In July, the government said switching to means-testing the winter fuel payments was necessary to help repair the economy.
This means that 10 million pensioners in the UK will now not receive a government payment to help with energy bills.
However, the removal of the winter fuel allowance for many pensioners has proved divisive. In Tower Hamlets, this decision has been met predominantly positively.
Mohammed, a long-term Tower Hamlets resident, labelled the scheme an ‘amazing initiative’, saying that ‘the winter is going to be so much easier’ for elderly residents who were previously concerned about heating their homes.
Maggie, who attended the warm hub, said that the scheme is ‘good news for many older people living here’.
Carol, a fellow visitor, said that ‘with the price of everyday groceries and bills going up every little helps’.
Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman said: ‘I’ve spoken with many elderly residents who are afraid of being forced to endure life-threateningly low temperatures this winter, or having to make the impossible choice between heating and eating because their access to the winter fuel allowance has been withdrawn.’
‘We have stepped in to fill the void left by the removal of the Winter Fuel Allowance.’
However, some – like resident Robin – have pointed out the lack of connection between the MP for Tower Hamlets’ voting record and the implementation of the scheme: ‘They both [Labour MPs Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green and Stepney) and Uma Kumaran (Stratford and Bow)] voted in favour of cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance, but now the mayor is having to use council money to keep paying it. I’m happy for it, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t make sense.’
Alongside the cash grant, the council announced on X that they have ‘opened warm hubs at all our libraries and Idea Stores.’
The Mayor announced the plan at a warm hub last Thursday, whilst handing out ‘warm packs’ including gloves, socks, blankets and thermal flasks.
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HeadlineTower Hamlets council launches its own winter fuel allowance – filling “void” left by government
Short HeadlineLondon council announces its own winter fuel allowance
StandfirstTower Hamlets residents are set to benefit from the move, which could 'fill the void' left by the government's decision in November
Tower Hamlets Council has launched a scheme offering £175 cash payments to pensioners that it has assessed as in need.
This scheme aims to help with the economic pressures of heating over the winter for the elderly and will impact those most in need who are on pension credit.
According to the Department of Work and Pension, Tower Hamlets has the largest proportion of pensioners receiving pension credit within any local constituency in England, at the level of 44%.
The council is amongst a selection of London councils seeking to offer a local winter fuel payment scheme to boost the funds provided nationally.
Wandsworth Council is offering payments of £300 for pensioners aged 80 or over, and £200 for pensioners aged under 80.
A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council revealed that it was funding the scheme, costing £1m to implement, with a combination of the council’s funds and the DWP’s household support fund.
In July, the government said switching to means-testing the winter fuel payments was necessary to help repair the economy.
This means that 10 million pensioners in the UK will now not receive a government payment to help with energy bills.
However, the removal of the winter fuel allowance for many pensioners has proved divisive. In Tower Hamlets, this decision has been met predominantly positively.
Mohammed, a long-term Tower Hamlets resident, labelled the scheme an ‘amazing initiative’, saying that ‘the winter is going to be so much easier’ for elderly residents who were previously concerned about heating their homes.
Maggie, who attended the warm hub, said that the scheme is ‘good news for many older people living here’.
Carol, a fellow visitor, said that ‘with the price of everyday groceries and bills going up every little helps’.
Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman said: ‘I’ve spoken with many elderly residents who are afraid of being forced to endure life-threateningly low temperatures this winter, or having to make the impossible choice between heating and eating because their access to the winter fuel allowance has been withdrawn.’
‘We have stepped in to fill the void left by the removal of the Winter Fuel Allowance.’
However, some – like resident Robin – have pointed out the lack of connection between the MP for Tower Hamlets’ voting record and the implementation of the scheme: ‘They both [Labour MPs Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green and Stepney) and Uma Kumaran (Stratford and Bow)] voted in favour of cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance, but now the mayor is having to use council money to keep paying it. I’m happy for it, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t make sense.’
Alongside the cash grant, the council announced on X that they have ‘opened warm hubs at all our libraries and Idea Stores.’
The Mayor announced the plan at a warm hub last Thursday, whilst handing out ‘warm packs’ including gloves, socks, blankets and thermal flasks.
