MSP Sharon Dowey column: Labour winter fuel payments cuts

The recent cuts in winter fuel payments have left many pensioners in Ayrshire facing a difficult and uncertain Christmas. Pensioners relied on these payments as a lifeline and Labour’s decision to means-test them is a betrayal to the elderly across our communities.

Labour promised at the election to safeguard these payments but thousands of pensioners across Ayrshire will now see up to £300 in financial support taken from them.

This could not have come at a worse time. The cost of living continues to rise and energy prices remain high, these winter fuel payments helped pensioners to get through the coldest months to stay warm.

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Given the current cold snap being felt across the area, people will be acutely aware of the difficulties faced by our most vulnerable at this time of year.

Across the Cumnock area and Ayrshire as a whole, we have a large contingent of elderly people, who have worked and paid into the system their entire lives, who are facing the brunt of the Government’s financial decisions.

No-one is fooled by Anas Sarwar’s half-baked attempt to get out of this mess. He claims Labour would reinstate it in 2026 – although pensioners will have to endure two more winters first. But if he was really serious about this, he’d use his supposed influence over colleagues in London to make the change happen now.

But Anas Sarwar and many of his own Scottish Labour MSPs voted against calling on the UK Government to scrap the cuts, not to mention Scottish Labour MPs voting to remove the payments in the first place.

But Labour is not the only party responsible. After 17 years of financial mismanagement, the SNP has followed Labour’s lead in cutting these payments.

Housing is already a growing concern in Ayrshire, with pensioners finding it tough to maintain their homes and be able to afford basic utilities. The withdrawal of these vital payments will further worsen the situation, leaving our elderly even more vulnerable.

MSP Sharon Dowey's latest Cumnock Chronicle column. (Image: MSP Sharon Dowey) I believe the decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments was a significant mistake, and a political choice that must be owned up to, accepted and then ultimately reversed.

There is help available for those who need it. The East Ayrshire Council cost of living support page can be accessed via the council website Cost of living support · East Ayrshire Council.

The East Ayrshire Council's support helpline can be reached at 01563 554400 during the day. For emergencies outside of normal hours, the number to call is 0345 724 0000. The textphone number is 01563 576167.

Community support is provided by a number of organisations including Cumnock Library and the Ochiltree Community Hub. Local organisations foster strong community bonds, helping people to look out for one another, ensuring no one is left to face winter alone.

Pensioners in Ayrshire deserve better than this and I will continue to stand up for them against these unjust cuts.