Agenda item

1.            Motion 606 (Cllr S Robinson)

The Council had before it a MOTION submitted for the first time.

Motion: Women against State Pension Inequality (WASPI)

Council is asked to note that:

·         In the 1995 Pensions Act, the Government increased State Pension age for women from 60 to 65, with a further increase to 66 in the 2011 Pensions Act. 

• The change was not properly communicated to 3.8m women born in the 1950s until 2012, giving some only one year’s notice of a six year increase in their anticipated retirement age. 14,350 of the affected women live in our own authority area.
• The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to have committed maladministration through its failure to adequately communicate State Pension age increases to women born in the 1950s. 
• The PHSO has concluded the DWP should apologise to women affected and pay compensation as a result.
• The DWP has refused to accept the findings of the PHSO, which has now led the independent watchdog to lay its findings before Parliament, encouraging MPs to intervene to deliver a remedy to affected women.
• The All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women has concluded that “the impact of DWP maladministration on 1950s-born women has been as devastating as it is widespread.  The APPG believes that the case for category 6 injustice (£10,000) is overwhelming and clear. Women have had their emotional, physical, and mental circumstances totally obliterated by a lack of reasonable notice.”
• As of April 2024, more than 275,000 have died waiting for justice since the WASPI campaign began in 2015.

Council is asked to consider that this injustice has not only had a profound effect on the individuals involved, but on the wider community in Mid Devon and on local government, not least because:

·         Women who would have looked after older relatives or partners are unable to afford to do so, with a knock-on impact on local social care.

·         Women who would have retired and engaged in caring responsibilities for grandchildren are having to continue working, increasing the childcare burden on the state locally.

·         Women who have been left in poverty are struggling to meet their housing costs, with a knock-on impact on local housing stock.

·         There is a broader impact on voluntary services of all kinds locally, which are missing out on able, active volunteers who would otherwise have been able to retire from full-time work as planned.

·         Our local economy is negatively affected by the reduced spending power and disposable income that the uncommunicated State Pension Age changes have brought about among women born in the 1950s.

·         Local tourism has suffered as a result, with affected women unable to travel to the area for holidays.

Council is asked to support:

·         A swift resolution to this ongoing injustice before more and more women die waiting for compensation.

·         The conclusion of the All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality that women born in the 1950s have suffered a gross injustice, affecting their emotional, physical and mental circumstances in addition to causing financial hardship.

·         The WASPI campaign and All Party Parliamentary Group’s calls for an immediate one-off compensation payment at category 6 injustice on the PHSO’s financial remedy scale (£10,000) to those affected.

·         The PHSO’s recommendation for the DWP to issue a formal apology to those affected and provide an opportunity for MPs to urgently debate the APPG’s recommendations, and any others, in Parliament.

We therefore ask:

The Leader of the Council to write to the 3 local Members of Parliament, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Leader of the House of Commons to outline the effects of the injustice on a significant number of women born in the 1950s in Mid Devon and to seek the following:

2.            Motion 607 (Cllr C Harrower)

The Council had before it a MOTION submitted for the first time.

Motion: Changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance; Protecting andRelieving Pensioners from Fuel Poverty

This Council notes with great concern the recent decision by the Labour Government to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) to pensioners who are in receipt of Pension Credit (PC). Age UK has estimated that this change will result in 2 million pensioners, who are in critical need of the payment (to stay warm this winter), losing this allowance.

WFPs have been an essential support for many older residents across the UK, including those in Mid Devon, to afford sufficient heating during the coldest months, to prevent ‘heat or eat’ dilemma and to safeguard health. Charities such as Age UK, The Countryside Alliance, CHAT and other stakeholders have voiced significant concerns regarding the social injustice and health risks associated with this sudden and unexpected change. This change came about without adequate notice of this Government’s intent to deprive so many of our pensioners of a warm home this winter. This seemingly ‘snap decision’ to Means Test WFPs is unfair and deeply goes counter to the financial contribution that pensioners have made to our Economy throughout their long and productive lives.

This Council believes that the Labour Government has set the threshold at which our pensioners do not qualify for WFPs as being set far too low. Only those currently receiving a pension of less that £218.15 per week (or £332.95 for couples) are eligible for Pension Credit (PC). This is significantly less that the Living Wage of £457.60. Moreover, our fuel and food costs continue to rise.

This Council is concerned by the low take-up of PC, with only 63% of those eligible, nationwide, receiving it, and over 880,000 not receiving it. Administrative barriers and stigma may prevent many eligible pensioners from claiming PC, leaving them without the financial support they desperately need.

This Council further notes that the Energy Price Gap has risen by 10% in October 2024, which, combined with the removal of WFPs, will push thousands more pensioners into fuel poverty this winter.

This Council recognises that:

• The WFP has been a crucial lifeline for many older people across the UK and restricting it only to those on PC risks leaving many pensioners in serious financial hardship.
• Whilst some pensioners in receipt of the payment may not be in financial need, many others, particularly those just above the threshold, will lose this essential support. This method of selection appears ill conceived and needs urgent reconsideration. Being just £10 over the PC limit will subject a pensioner to a loss of £290 and will make it likely that they will enter fuel poverty over this next winter, whilst, for someone whose income is £10 under the PC limit this winter will retain the £300. This seems morally wrong.
• Another consideration of great importance to this Council is that, without heat, warmth and/or good nutrition through the winter months, there will be a big increase in hospital admissions, most likely due to chest infections, pneumonia, etc. This will put even more strain on our NHS, in what is the busiest time of their year. This surely will adversely impact Government expenditure.

This Council is currently undertaking the following:

1.    Launching a Council led awareness campaign to ensure that those eligible for Pension Credits are made aware of the benefit, including access to Winter Fuel Payments, and to encourage take-up of their entitlement. Strengthening local efforts to promote Pension Credit uptake through Council services and partnerships with local Charities and community organisations, ensuring that all eligible pensioners in Mid Devon are supported in claiming their entitlement. We are proud of MDDCs efforts to date, which are already in process.

2.    Promoting and supporting the NHS vaccination programme, taking due notice of the health and welfare of our elderly.

This Council resolves to:

1.    Request that the Leader of the Council write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, calling for the policy of linking Winter Fuel Payments to Pension Credit receipt to be immediately paused. This should enable time for the introduction of a new and honourable financial threshold, used to determine eligibility for Pension Credit.

2.    Also request that the Leader writes to all MPs covering Mid Devon, asking them to give their formal support to halting the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, certainly for this winter, whilst further solutions are explored ready for implementation next year (Winter 2025).

3.    Investigate whether Mid Devon’s public buildings can be used as part of the ‘Warm Spaces’ initiative for Winter 2024/5, ensuring that vulnerable residents have access to heated spaces during the colder months, and encourage Town and Parish Councils to participate.