REDDITCH'S MP Chris Bloore has explained why he voted to back cuts to winter fuel allowance payments.

A Conservative motion to annul the government’s cuts to winter fuel payments was defeated by 348 votes to 228, majority of 120, in the House of Commons.

Addressing constituents in a letter posted on Facebook, the Labour MP said: "I wanted to give you as clear a picture as possible of why I didn't support the Conservative Party's motion yesterday, including concerns that I have raised with the Minister about means testing, what I am doing to ensure those on the lowest incomes get the support many often miss out on, and what must happen over the next twelve months.

"As you know, the WFA will no longer be paid to all pensioners regardless of their income; it will be targeted to those with the lowest incomes.

"As someone new to Parliament, I met with Age UK and Independent Age, amongst others, in response to this announcement. I was shocked to read about the low take-up of programmes designed to support those most in need, such as Pension Credit (63%) and Housing Benefits (79%).

"Nearly one million pensioners on the lowest incomes are eligible but have yet to apply for pension credit.

"They are missing out on thousands of pounds worth of support, continued access to WFA, and other associated sources of support. This means many pensioners miss up on up to £3900 a year.

"Over the summer, I held seven surgeries across the constituency to offer support and ensure that constituents were claiming what they were eligible for. My office has helped sign many constituents up for pension credit and will continue receiving the WFA. Others have discovered they're eligible for other support, such as housing benefits or attendance allowance".

He acknowledged that there will be people he knows who "fall between the crack," who are just over the freshhold for support.

The MP said: "That is why I lobbied the government over the summer for the Household Support Grant to be extended, and I'm pleased that the government has agreed to extend it from 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024. 

"This will provide an additional £421 million in support to those on the lowest incomes. This support is available to struggling households, and you don't have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council. If you get benefits, they will not be affected if you get a payment from a Household Support  Fund scheme. This funding can be used to pay energy bills, and in Worcestershire, you will be able to apply for a grant via Worcestershire County Council". 

Mr Bloore added: "I know my decision to support the means-testing of WFA will disappoint many.

"I have not tried to hide from the decision, and I will continue to host constituency surgeries to ensure that every pensioner in Redditch and the Villages gets the support they're entitled to". 

The full letter is available on Chris Bloore's Facebook page.