Hyndburn’s Conservative opposition group will use the borough’s Full Council meeting on Thursday (January 16) to launch an attack on the government’s changes to pensioners’ winter fuel allowance changes and increase in employers’ national insurance contributions. It has tabled two motions for debate calling on the authority’s bosses to write to Chancellor Rachel Reeves and local constituency Labour MP Sarah Smith demanding both policies be reversed.
Shortly after assuming office the new Labour administration restricted the winter fuel allowance to payments are to pensioners who already receive pension credit or other means-tested financial support. And in her Budget Mrs Reeves increased employers’ NICs from 13.8 per cent to 15.
Former Tory council leader Cllr Marlene Haworth has moved a motion which says: “The impact of withdrawing the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners across the country will be felt hard particularly in Hyndburn. The starts of the year are often the coldest, putting our older, vulnerable residents at risk.
“Some local authorities are using the Household Support Fund to cover the shortfall for their most vulnerable residents. This motion makes a request to the cabinet to authorise widening the eligibility of the Household Support Fund to provide for extra support this winter.
“As well, to write to Sarah Smith MP and the Chancellor urging them to reverse the cut.”
Current Tory group leader Cllr Zak Khan has moved a second motion entitled ‘Reverse Anti-business Tax Rises’.
It reads: “Business confidence in the UK has experienced a sharp decline after Labour’s anti-growth, anti-business autumn budget. Rising costs and reduced confidence, a drop in Gross Domestic Product and productivity, has been the result.
“Many companies will pass these costs onto customers or in lesser pay rises. They will avoid taking on new employees, at a time we need to get more people back to work.
“Our businesses are not a result of economic growth; they drive our economic growth. In Hyndburn, small businesses will struggle to absorb these costs, risking their existence.
“We believe in creating an environment in which our businesses can thrive, making our country more prosperous and allowing them to invest in our communities. As such, we propose for the leader of the council to write to our MP, Sarah Smith, and the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, asking them to reverse these far-reaching and damaging tax rises in employers national insurance.
“Locally, we urge the council to do more to mitigate the impacts from the budget. The Economic Investment Strategy, voted on by this council, should be fast-tracked to give businesses the confidence to invest in our borough.”
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