On 11th September 2024, the House of Lords debated changes to the Winter Fuel Payment Regulations which would change the payment from a universal to a means-tested benefit. Votes were held on three regret motions associated with the change, in which Bishops took part:
The Bishop of Sheffield spoke in a debate on changes to Winter Fuel Payments on 11th September 2024, supporting a regret motion and asking the government to reconsider the eligibility bar for payments:
The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I speak in broad support of the regret Motion in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Palmer. I appreciate the very tight fiscal constraints under which the Government are having to operate, and the need for tough choices to be made. I also accept the recent Statement by the Prime Minister that tough choices are almost by definition unpopular choices. Tough choices must also be wise choices, however, and I confess that I harbour misgivings about the wisdom of this proposal for two reasons.
Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield supports motion to regret on changes to winter fuel payments”The Bishop of Southwark spoke in a debate on changes to Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners on 11th September 2024, expressing concerns over the implications of moving to a means-tested threshold for the payments:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I, too, congratulate the Minister on her appointment and I declare an interest as a beneficiary myself hitherto of the winter fuel payment—but only in very recent years. Indeed, I wonder whether your Lordships’ House should not pass a resolution declaring a corporate interest. Members of this House are unlikely to be seriously affected by the measure. That is not the point. For many pensioners in my diocese and for considerably larger numbers, possibly extending to millions, across the country, this will be a significant financial hit, with adverse repercussions this coming winter.
As has been alluded to, the origin of the Chancellor’s decision to cut winter fuel payments lies in her view of the state of public finances. It is not a manifesto commitment. The Minister, for whom I have enormous respect, has appealed to the House to neither annul the regulations nor express regret, but I suspect that there are those on the Government Benches who are internalising their regret at this very moment. I fear, and I think this feeling is shared across the House, that the Government’s decision on this matter will define them in the public mind for years to come. It is a signal gesture on their part and one that I believe should be resisted, notwithstanding the Minister’s careful appeal.
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark raises concerns over impact of changes to winter fuel payment regulations”
The Church of England in Parliament 
You must be logged in to post a comment.