Linda, 67, was so into Labour politics that she would take a week off work simply to watch the party’s annual conference. Yet she still couldn’t bring herself to vote for the party under PM Keir Starmer at the recent election for one simple reason: “I just didn’t trust him.”
She was nonetheless stunned when chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that she was axing the Winter Fuel Payment for 10million pensioners.
Labour’s argument was that wealthy pensioners didn’t need the cash towards their gas and electricity bills, but Linda can’t afford to lose the £200 payment she was expecting to get towards this year’s energy costs.
She told the Express: “I only started claiming my state pension earlier this year and was looking forward to my Winter Fuel Payment. Just my luck.”
Linda gets £840 a month from the state pension. She receives a small civil service pension on top, worth another £140.
Together, they give her a combined annual income of £11,760 a year. That’s only a few hundred pounds above the threshold for claiming means-tested income top-up Pension Credit, which is currently £11,343.50.
Only people who get Pension Credit will qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment, so Linda narrowly misses out.
Linda, who is divorced and lives alone just outside Cardiff, had cleared her mortgage and was looking forward to retirement after a long working life, mostly spent in the care system.
Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to quit.
Until recently, she was working as a cleaner at a building site, which she describes as “hard, physical work”.
After site work finished Linda went back to what she knew best, working in care. But this is physical work, too. “I have to help hoisting heavy patients. There’s an awful lot of pushing and pulling. I’m just hoping my back won’t give out.”
Linda can’t afford to stop, though. Just as she can’t afford to lose her Winter Fuel Payment.
She isn’t planning to turn the heating on this winter. Instead, she’s bought herself an electric blanket, to sit under while she watches the telly.
She’s also bought an air fryer, so she doesn’t have to use the oven, either. “I live in a tiny modern house, at least it’s fairly well insulated. Basically, though, it’s just survival.”
Adding to the squeeze, her car recently packed up, and she had to borrow £8,000 to buy the cheapest motor she could, a second-hand Fiat 500.
“The repayments cost £250 a month, but I can’t live without it. I need it to get to work.”
Linda is also worried by reports that Reeves will increase fuel duty, which will add to her petrol costs.
Her biggest concern is that Labour will axe the 25% single person’s discount for council tax. She already pays £120 a month. Losing that discount would add another £40 a month.
Labour appears to have ruled that out but we won’t know for sure until October 30.
As a lifelong Labour voter, Linda can’t believe what the party has done since taking power. The freebies such as free Taylor Swift tickets for Starmer and free clothes for Reeves were the final straw. “I can’t imagine spending £7,500 on clothes like Reeves did. Especially with someone else footing the bill.”
Linda says everyone she knows locally is living hand-to-mouth, with those in work scraping by on the minimum wage. “I thought Labour was targeting those with the broadest shoulders, but my shoulders are sloping a little lower every single day.”
