A pensioner has confessed to being shocked by the cost of her first gas and electricity bills of 2025.
It comes after Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves announced in September last year that from winter 2024/2025, households in England and Wales will no longer be entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment unless they receive Pension Credit or certain other means-tested benefit – potentially affecting millions of households.
Wendy Love, who has been affected by the change, took to TikTok to criticise the government after making a payment to her energy provider earlier this week. “I’ve just paid my gas and electricity bill for 29 days of usage,” she began in a video.
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“I read the meters and thought I’ll just check and see how much I’ve used – I’ve had the heating on because it’s been so cold.” However, she was left stunned upon her realisation she needed to pay £240 for just over four weeks’ fuel. “That’s a hell of a lot of money for 29 days,” Wendy vented. “The government has taken away our Winter Fuel Allowance – I don’t know how people manage, I really don’t.”
Wendy continued to highlight the plight of those who are just on an “old age pension” and live alone who now face a situation that is “not viable”. She then hit out directly at Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, before declaring: “You can’t survive on that.”
“Mine was over £200 and I’m a pensioner living alone,” another woman wrote in response, prompting Wendy to sympathise: “It is so unfair what, I am sorry you are going through this, even worse when you are on your own.”
Further TikTok users slammed the situation, meanwhile, including one person who commented: “It’s like going back to the dark ages when houses didn’t have gas and electric… now we have it we can’t afford it.” Another remarked: “Mine was the same, I work from home, I am 62 and mentally worn out. Don’t enjoy life, just exist and now Wi-Fi has gone up £8 too – we are being robbed.”
A third has offered an innovative approach, however: “Haven’t had my heating on once yet, we have a wood burner in the living room, electric throws for the sofa and electric blankets on the beds, just have to think outside the central heating box.” Whilst in defence of the PM, a fourth person said: “I’ve had mine on, pay £90 a month gas and electric and I don’t sit in the cold. It builds up through the summer and I’m on my own, I don’t blame him.”
On a more positive note, however, state pensioners can expect some relief thanks to an “automatic” £150 contribution towards energy bills as part of the Warm Home Discount scheme, facilitated by the DWP. With the onset of colder months, the payment will be applied directly to the electricity bills of those eligible and whose providers are part of the scheme.
The initiative began in October and payments started rolling out in November, with most qualifying households having received a confirmation letter about their discount. Importantly, this is not a cash handout but a direct deduction from electricity bills, and the timeframe for receiving the discount varies depending on the supplier, with all payments due to be completed by March 2025.
First introduced in 1997, the Winter Fuel Payment amounts have fluctuated over the years – most commonly set at £200 for households where the oldest person is under 80, and payments of £300 for households with someone aged 80 or over.