Lewes MP Norman Baker has urged the government to do more to assist elderly people after new figures unveiled by the Lib Dems revealed that more than 2,000 pensioners in the Lewes constituency will miss out on Cold Weather Payments.
The weekly payments of £25 have been triggered by the severe weather which has hit the South East over the past couple of weeks. People on low incomes who receive a qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, are able to claim for the Payments when temperatures drop below zero degrees Celsius for seven consecutive days.
In total, 6,645 pensioners are eligible for Pension Credit in the Lewes constituency, but the Department for Work and Pensions estimates that only two thirds of those who are eligible actually claim - meaning that approximately 2,215 pensioners in the constituency are missing out on much-needed benefits during the coldest winter for many years.
Lib Dem MP Norman Baker commented:
It is appalling that over 2,000 people are missing out on these much-needed payments, which are worth over £55,000 in total.
"With fuel prices higher than ever, many pensioners in my constituency and across the country desperately need the extra money from Cold Weather Payments.
"The government has let pensioners down by making the system for claiming these benefits far too complicated. They must now make every effort to identify pensioners across the Lewes constituency who are missing out and give them the money they are entitled to during this period of severe weather."
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
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