Doncaster protest targets Ed Miliband over winter fuel allowance cuts
Doncaster Labour MP Ed Miliband has been targeted by protesters demonstrating against the Government’s cut to the winter fuel allowance for pensioners.
Members of the Yorkshire & Humber Pensioners Convention met in the city to discuss the ongoing struggles of older people to keep warm this winter.
A spokesperson said: “Pensioners have been struck with a double-edged sword of increasing energy bills and the loss of the winter fuel payment for ten million people.”
Research by Unite the Union has found that losing the winter fuel payment has left 67% of pensioners reducing their heating use, and 25% reporting increased anxiety and stress.
Organisers from Unite addressed the Pensioners Convention meeting about the union’s recent campaign, led by Unite’s retired members, to restore the winter fuel payment.
Unite organiser Michael Agboh-Davison said: “Labour needs to give pensioners back the winter fuel payment.
"But that on its own won’t fix the UK energy rip-off.”
The energy regulator Ofgem has put up the energy price cap by £170 since July, while the big energy companies continue to report huge profits.
Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband is also the Energy Secretary, and his department is responsible for energy regulator Ofgem.
The spokesperson added: “The government is currently gathering evidence for a review of Ofgem. Energy companies will be responding to this, no doubt asking for fewer rules and bigger profits.
“But we’re going to make sure that ordinary Doncaster voters have their say as well.”
Unite organiser Jon Moorcroft added: “It’s clear that the regulator isn’t fit for purpose and pensioners and low-income households are paying exorbitant energy costs to enrich shareholders of the major energy companies.
“What we’re hearing from Doncaster voters, like the majority of the UK public overall, is that privatisation was a costly mistake and people want our energy back in public ownership”
Unite will be surveying Doncaster residents for their opinions on the winter fuel payment and the cost of energy.
Doncaster Unite retired members and Yorkshire and Humber Pensioners Convention will deliver the survey responses to Ed Miliband on 28 February - the day the Ofgem review ends.
Mr Miliband has been invited to meet campaigners to discuss the survey results.
The survey can be found here https://surveys.unitetheunion.org/UFWE/doncaster-ofgem-survey
To find out more about Unite’s winter fuel campaign, visit https://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigns/defend-the-winter-fuel-payment