Unite, Britain’s largest union, has launched formal High Court proceedings seeking a Judicial Review to challenge the Labour Government’s decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners.
The union submitted its application to the High Court last Friday, following what it deemed an unsatisfactory response to its pre-action protocol letter.
The legal challenge has been filed on behalf of Unite and 11 of its members who have been excluded from receiving the Winter Fuel Payments.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced earlier this year that up to £300 in energy bill support would no longer be universal.
Instead, the payments will now only be available to pensioners receiving means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Reeves said she “did not want to have to do this”.
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Pensioners are using the courts to push back against Labour’s Winter Fuel Payment cut
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She cited a £20billion “black hole” in public finances left by the previous Conservative-led Government as the reason for implementing strict fiscal rules.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has strongly condemned the policy change, urging Labour to make a U-turn on its decision.
“Labour’s decision to pick the pocket of pensioners was wrong on every level. The Government has been given every opportunity to reverse its decision and it has failed to do so,” she said.
Graham added: “This is a rushed, ill-thought-out policy and the Government clearly failed to follow the proper legal measures before executing it.”
She called for swift action, stating: “With winter approaching the courts must now hold the Government to account and reverse this cruel cut as quickly as possible.”
The impact of these cuts could push tens of thousands more pensioners into poverty, according to official modelling.
Internal estimates suggest an additional 50,000 pensioners will fall into relative poverty after housing costs in 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2027/28.
The projections, shared by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall, affirm what campaigners against the decision have warned about.
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Unite is taking to the streets and the courts to protest Labour’s decision to means-test the energy bill benefit
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Unite has requested the High Court to treat the case as an urgent matter due to deteriorating weather conditions. The request for an early hearing forms part of Unite’s High Court application.
Protests against the Winter Fuel Payment are expected to kick-off across the country tomorrow with thousands concerned about the policy decision’s impact.
Unite organiser Joshua Berlyne explained: “If the Government has a financial black hole to fill, they should tax the profits of these energy companies or add a wealth tax on the very richest in our society who can afford it.”
GB News has contacted the DWP for comment.