CHARITY URGES SNP TO ENSURE SCOTS GET FUEL U-TURN MONEY

Our pensioners still in the dark after Labour Chancellor Reeves' volte face.

- By David Walker

A LEADING charity last night called on the Scottish Government to ensure money announced yesterday by the Chancellor help pensioners keep warm.

It comes after Rachel Reeves yesterday announced a major U-turn over winter fuel payments.

It will see nine million pension-ers down south benefit after she lifted the qualifying threshold so that everyone of state pension age in England and Wales on £35,000 or below will enjoy extra cash to heat their homes.

However, the policy does not apply to Scotland but it will result in extra funding for Holyrood. As a result one charity is now urging the SNP to use the money to help Scotland's elderly this winter.

Katherine Crawford, Age Scotland's chief executive, said: "This announcement is significant for Scotland's pensioners as it gives the Scottish Government considerable new funds which they can use to boost the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, making it more adequate for older people here.

"We've been concerned that the Scottish Government's basic rate of £100 to pensioner households this coming winter just is not enough for the hundreds of thousands living in fuel poverty or struggling to live in a warm home as they battle unmanageable energy costs.' She added: "We've already asked the First Minister to commit to using every penny that would come to Scotland if the UK Government changed its mind on the Winter Fuel Payment to increase the value of their energy bill support payment for pensioners.

"It should not be used to cover the Scottish Parliament's current budget or repurposed elsewhere.

That moment has arrived.

"On the face of it, low and modest income pensioners in England and Wales would get two or three times the level of support Scotland is offering this winter.