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.

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 was 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 3.8 million women born in the 1950s until 2012, giving some only 1 year’s notice of a 6 year increase in their anticipated retirement age. 14,350 of the affected women lived in our own authority area.
• The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) had 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 had concluded the DWP should apologise to women affected and pay compensation as a result.
• The DWP had refused to accept the findings of the PHSO, which had 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 (APPG) on State Pension Inequality for Women had concluded that “the impact of DWP maladministration on 1950s-born women had been as devastating as it was widespread.  The APPG believed that the case for category 6 injustice (£10,000) was 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 women had died waiting for justice since the WASPI campaign began in 2015.

Council was asked to consider that this injustice had not only had a profound affect 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 were 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 were having to continue working, increasing the childcare burden on the state locally.
• Women who have been left in poverty were struggling to meet their housing costs, with a knock-on impact on local housing stock.
• There was a broader impact on voluntary services of all kinds locally, which were missing out on able, active volunteers who would otherwise have been able to retire from full-time work as planned.
• Our local economy was negatively affected by the reduced spending power and disposable income that the uncommunicated State Pension Age changes had brought about among women born in the 1950s.
• Local tourism had suffered as a result, with affected women unable to travel to the area for holidays.

Council was asked to support: 

• A swift resolution to this ongoing injustice before more and more women died waiting for compensation.
• The conclusion of the All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality that women born in the 1950s had 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 called 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:

Consideration was given to:

• Acknowledged the challenges of the changes for women and families.
• Concern that the motion as presented was not in the interest of Mid Devon residents.
• There were errors in the motion, and the contained facts and figures were misleading at best, and without careful consideration, it risked being generic and serving little purpose to our residents.
• It was the Council’s duty to ensure that any motion passed genuinely represented the Council’s residents, improved their lives and was factually accurate. To achieve this, and rather than rejecting it outright, it was proposed to refer the motion to the Community, People & Equalities Policy Development Group for refinement, allowing them to make the necessary adjustments so that it could truly be bespoke to our community.  This would be in accordance with procedure rules.
• This was a national issue and not one that the Council could control here and it was important to remember that the pension reforms were introduced to ensure fairness and sustainability.
• The equalisation of the state pension age was essential, not only for balancing public finances and to protect the viability of the state pension system, but also to reflect equality—a principle the Council was committed to.
• Additionally, there was the matter of the potential financial cost of compensation demanded, which could exceed a staggering £36 billion, this would have a substantial impact on the public purse, which may ultimately detract from local essential services that benefit all residents.
• A similar motion had previously come to a Council meeting and was currently still an issue.
• Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) had been found guilty of maladministration over 3 years ago.
• The motion was important and would support the notice of motion to ensure the Council had this correct.
• Support the notice of motion to go to the Community, People and Equalities Policy Development Group to ensure the motion was right for the residents of the Council.

The MOTION was MOVED by Councillor S Robinson seconded by Councillor G Westcott.

Cllr J Buczkowski MOVED seconded by Cllr L Kennedya NOTICE WITHOUT MOTION to appoint the Community, People and Equalities Policy Development Group (PDG) to consider this motion before it came back to Full Council.

Upon a vote being taken, the MOTION WITHOUT NOTICE was declared to have CARRIED.

Those voting AGAINST the MOTION: Cllr L Cruwys, Cllr S Robinson, Cllr H Tuffin, Cllr N Woollatt

Those ABSTAINING from voting: Cllr B Holdman

2. Motion 607 (Cllr B Fish)

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

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

This Council noted with great concern the recent decision by the Labour Government to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) to pensioners who were in receipt of Pension Credit (PC). Age UK has estimated that this change will result in 2 million pensioners, who were 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 had 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 was unfair and deeply goes counter to the financial contribution that pensioners have made to our Economy throughout their long and productive lives.

This Council believed that the Labour Government had set the threshold at which our pensioners did not qualify for WFPs far too low. Only those currently receiving a pension of less that £218.15 per week (or £332.95 for couples) were eligible for Pension Credit (PC). This was significantly less that the Living Wage of £457.60. Moreover, our fuel and food costs continued to rise.

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

This Council recognised that:

• The WFP has been a crucial lifeline for many older people across the UK and restricting it only to those on Pension Credit risked 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, would lose this essential support. This method of selection appeared ill conceived and needed urgent reconsideration. Being just £10 over the PC limit would l subject a pensioner to a loss of £290 and would make it likely that they would enter fuel poverty over this  winter, whilst, for someone whose income was£10 under the PC limit this winter would retain the £300. This seemed morally wrong.
• Another consideration of great importance to this Council was that, without heat, warmth and/or good nutrition through the winter months, there would be a big increase in hospital admissions, most likely due to chest infections, pneumonia, etc. This would put even more strain on our NHS, in what was the busiest time of their year. This surely would adversely impact Government expenditure.

This Council was currently undertaking the following:

1.    Launching a Council led awareness campaign to ensure that those eligible for Pension Credits were 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 were supported in claiming their entitlement. We were proud of MDDCs efforts to date, which were already in process.

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

This Council resolved 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.  Requested that the Leader write 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 were explored ready for implementation next year (winter 2025).

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

Consideration was given to:

• It was a prime responsibility of governments, both national and local, to protect their most vulnerable residents, and whilst the current government undoubtedly inherited a financial mess from the chaotic and incompetent Conservative government, they also, in the Prime Minister’s own words, inherited appalling poverty.
• The wholesale removal of the winter fuel allowance by the Labour Government was a total dereliction of the responsibility and an utter betrayal to those who relied on this payment to keep their homes warm through the winter.
• The support of this motion, which aimed to show the strength of feeling of this Council, and of the residents it represented, along with it identifying pragmatic ways to further support our vulnerable residents and those in need.
• The Council had sought to protect the vulnerable residents within the district that had been affected by the withdrawal of the winter fuel allowance and had taken urgent and decisive action to protect the residents
• Utilising the Household Support fund the Council had offered a direct award, meaning no application, to 325 pensioners that had been identified as likely to be at risk of hardship due to the loss of the winter fuel allowance, this award was by way of energy vouchers of £250 for single persons and £300 for couples.
• In addition to the direct award, the Household support scheme could offer up to £400 of vouchers for either food, energy or a combination of both – Applications needed to be made for the main scheme and it was means tested to ensure and support the most vulnerable households.  Households receiving a direct award could also apply to the full scheme for additional support.
• The team at Mid Devon had ramped up publicity of the scheme, and pension credit eligibility and claims process, the Council had issued 600 letters encouraging people to apply for pension credit.
• The Council’s Customer First Team would be ready to help where they could on both the Household Support Fund (HSF) and Pension Credit Claims, the Council had worked closely with external partners CHAT and Navigate to ensure that support was accessible and close to our communities.

• Members commended the work of the Council to raise awareness and claim pension credit.
• This winter would see higher numbers of illness and death through living in cold and damp conditions.
• The use of the word honourable financial threshold.

The MOTION was MOVED by Councillor B Fish seconded by Councillor S Robinson

Upon a vote being taken, the MOTION was declared to have CARRIED.

(All Members of the Council had been granted a dispensation to allow them to speak and vote in any debate on this matter by virtue of being in receipt of or affected by any changes to the motions:- Women on State Pension Inequality and the Winter Fuel Allowance)