New research reported by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition on 1 October 2024 finds that 84% of older people with a long-term health condition or disability claim they will no longer get Winter Fuel Payments1. The polling was carried out by Opinium on 7 and 8 October 2024, with a sample of 2,014 weighted to be politically and nationally representative1.
Among respondents aged over 66, 88% said they do not receive a qualifying benefit and will therefore no longer get the payment in winter 2024/25, while 10% said they are on a qualifying benefit and 2% preferred not to answer or did not know1. The coalition reports that 81% of older people already worried about cold and damp in their own homes claim they will not get the payment, and that 77% of older people who rent will miss out, with those in social housing especially affected1.
The research also reports concern about personal safety: 19% of people over 66 with long-term health conditions or disabilities who say they will no longer likely get the payment claim they are worried about their own safety because of the risks of living in a cold damp home this winter, compared with 17% of the general public and 14% of all over 65s1. The coalition says respondents who claim they are no longer eligible and have a physical disability are more likely to live in a home that is often cold and damp than the general population1.
By nation and region, the shares of over 66s who claim they will no longer get the payment were1:
| Group | Share who say they will no longer get the payment |
|---|---|
| Scotland | 93%* |
| Southern England | 91% |
| London | 88%* |
| English Midlands | 87% |
| Northern England | 85% |
| Wales or Northern Ireland | 81%* |
The coalition notes that figures marked with an asterisk rest on a base sample below 50, and that caution should be taken in using or reporting them without more detailed research1. By 2024 voting behaviour, the shares were 90% of Labour voters aged over 66, 89% of Conservative voters, 96% of Lib Dem voters* and 80% of Reform voters1.
A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said:
"The data is yet another warning sign. The indications are that older people who no longer get the Winter Fuel Payment are more likely to suffer in cold damp homes this winter than the general public."
James Taylor, Scope's executive director of strategy and social change, said life already costs more when you are disabled, citing higher electricity bills for medical equipment and higher heating bills for health conditions affected by the cold, and said the charity is calling for discounted bills for disabled households1.
Why it matters for households
The Winter Fuel Payment is a annual payment that helped older households meet winter heating costs, and the research indicates most over 66s with a health condition or disability expect to lose it. For a household, the practical effect is that a payment previously counted on to cover part of winter energy use is no longer expected, while the costs it offset, heating and electricity, remain. The coalition links the loss of the payment to a greater likelihood of living in a cold damp home, and Scope points to costs specific to disabled households, including electricity for medical equipment and heating for conditions affected by cold1. The research also indicates that renters, and social housing tenants in particular, are among those most affected1. Eligibility now turns on receiving a qualifying means-tested benefit, which the coalition says many pensioners with a physical disability do not have access to1. The Warm Home Discount is a separate scheme with its own rules. Guidance on who qualifies for the Winter Fuel Payment and on what temperature a home should be in winter for health sits alongside the site's material for older people and home energy.
What happens next
The coalition says the Government must urgently assess the impact on pensioners with a physical disability in particular and provide more support for them, and that vulnerable households will continue to need financial support until plans to improve insulation and ventilation of buildings and to stabilise energy costs are fully implemented1. Scope says it would urge anyone who thinks they could be eligible for Pension Credit to apply or contact its helpline, and is calling for discounted bills for disabled households1. No date has been reported for any assessment or for a decision on further support.
Sources1 cited
- Winter fuel payment cuts set to hit 84% of disabled pensioners - End Fuel Poverty Coalition, endfuelpoverty.org.uk