A York MP says she could not vote with her government on proposals to end universal winter fuel payments.
Labour’s Rachael Maskell said pensioners in the city were “frightened” by the loss of the benefit.
The York Central MP signalled she was willing to disobey her party’s orders to vote for the measure, which will see the payments restricted to those receiving pension credit or other means-tested benefits.
Ten million pensioners are expected to lose out on winter fuel payments as a result, but the government is encouraging more of them who are eligible for pension credits to take up the often-overlooked benefit.
Speaking to the BBC’s Newsnight, Ms Maskell appealed to the Chancellor to make concessions.
Asked if she could vote for the measure when it is put before the Commons next week, she replied: “I couldn’t vote for this, but I think what we are saying, this is bigger than a vote because this is about protecting people’s lives and ultimately that is our responsibility as MPs, to speak to truth to power.
“That is all we are doing is to say actually there are some people in danger here, that are at risk, and we need the Government to step in like Gordon Brown did when he introduced the winter fuel payment.”
Asked if she would disobey a whipped vote on the matter, Ms Maskell said: “This doesn’t come in for it for me and many of my colleagues. We are just so concerned.
“I will do anything to protect life and on this occasion what I am saying to our Government is they have got the weekend to work this through, but put in some mitigation to protect the most vulnerable, not just those on pension credit but those people above the line, to ensure that they can be safe, warm and well this winter.
“It is imperative that they do that.”
She suggested many pensioners would face a “cliff edge set by previous governments” if they stopped receiving the payment, and argued that tweaking eligibility would “protect the NHS” from added winter pressure.
Rent goes up more than pension
At Treasury questions in the House of Commons yesterday (Tuesday), Ms Maskell said: “In York the average rent rise of 11.9% exceeded the state pension rise by £380 this year.
“With the loss of the cost-of-living payments and winter fuel payments, an increase in the energy price cap and cost of living, pensioners are frightened about how they’re going to keep warm this winter – as am I.”
The York Central MP asked Ms Reeves how she will protect pensioners who are above the Pension Credit threshold in order to “prevent cold, ill health or worse this winter”.
Ms Reeves replied: “The basic state pension is worth £900 more than it was a year ago and will go up again in April next year because of the triple lock, which we have committed to for the duration of this Parliament.”
She added the government is working with local authorities to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.