FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10,000 WELSH PENSIONERS COULD BE PUSHED INTO POVERTY, SAY WELSH CONSERVATIVES
Responding to a letter from Liz Kendall, Labour’s Secretary of State for Work and Pensions detailing the UK-wide impact of cuts to Winter Fuel Payments on relative and absolute pensioner poverty, Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives said:
“Labour’s decision to scrap Winter Fuel Payments will deal a crushing blow to thousands of Welsh pensioners.
“Using Liz Kendall’s figures, it can be estimated that close to ten thousand Welsh pensioners will be pushed into poverty by Labour’s shameful policy.
“The Welsh Conservatives will continue to stand up for our pensioners by calling for the reversal of this cruel cut to Winter Fuel Payments, unlike Labour ministers in Wales who seem content with pushing pensioners into poverty.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The letter detailing the DWP figures on relative and absolute pensioner poverty from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions can be found here.
- Wales’ population is approximately 4.5% of the UK’s, therefore it can be estimated that 9,000 more pensioners will be in relative poverty by 2027/28 based on the 200,000 UK figure.