Renewed calls for social energy tariff for elderly with amber snow warning for Yorkshire

Stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and power cuts are all likely, with up to 7cm of snowfall expected.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said this is “definitely a weekend to turn the heating on” as he was quizzed about Labour’s decision to significantly scale back the Winter Fuel Payment yesterday.

This is the first winter since 1996 that all pensioners will not have access to the benefit of up to £300, with temperatures to plunge to minus 6C in some parts of North Yorkshire on Sunday.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell told The Yorkshire Post: “I would still urge the Government to consider reintroducing the winter fuel payments this winter, while considering the alternatives for the long term.

“We know that fuel poverty is a real consideration and many people, particularly the elderly, will be experiencing the extreme cold at the moment and I’m really concerned for them.”

Jan Shortt, the general secretary of the National Pensioners’ Convention, added: “Clearly it’s not a good time of year for older people who are struggling financially.

“For those that have lost their winter fuel allowance, it will be a much bigger struggle.

“We’re in a period of great concern for those older people who have switched off their heating because they are afraid they will get in debt, and also for those who are using their heating and will be in debt.”

Both Ms Shortt and Labour MP Ms Maskell also backed calls from the Warm This Winter campaign for the Government and energy companies to introduce a social tariff for elderly people.

A new poll by Opinium found that three-quarters of Britons back this move.

The campaign said this would offer “lasting protection to those who depend on heating and electricity the most for their health and well-being, reducing the costs of every unit of energy they use and shielding them from volatile and persistently high energy prices”.

Warm This Winter campaign manager, Caroline Simpson, commented: “The public believe that a social tariff must be implemented and this needs to be done as soon as possible to avoid more scenes of vulnerable people living in cold damp homes every winter.

“Hard-pressed bill payers also want to see this programme paid for by energy industry profits.”

Ms Maskell added: “I think having a social tariff by the energy companies is absolutely crucial.”

The York Central MP also revealed she had written to the Government twice urging them to adopt pilot schemes which allow warm home prescriptions “so GPs can socially prescribe payment to support their patients and to ensure they are kept warm”.

Mr Streeting added: “This is definitely a weekend to turn the heating on, and I’ll just remind people that the Chancellor did take the decision to protect winter fuel allowance for the poorest pensioners, to protect people this winter and in future winters.

“And of course, the triple lock on pensions is guaranteed, so the state pension is higher this winter than it was last year, and will be higher further still next year.

“That’s why the Chancellor has taken those decisions to make sure that we protect the vulnerable this winter.”

A Government spokesperson said: “This winter, over a million pensioners will still receive the Winter Fuel Payment and the state pension will rise by up to £1,900 this parliament through our commitment to the triple lock.

“We are driving the uptake of pension credit and have worked with industry to deliver over £500 million in support this winter, in addition to our Warm Home Discount – which is expected to support three million eligible households.

"Our Warm Homes Plan will also help people find ways to save money on energy bills and deliver warmer, cleaner to heat homes, with up to 300,000 households to benefit from upgrades next year.”