More than 24,000 pensioners in the Chichester area at risk of losing winter fuel payments

It comes as new analysis shows about 24, 640 pensioners in the Chichester constituency are at risk of losing the £300 payment, which helps with heating bills in the cold winter months.

This is the estimated number of pensioners in the constituency who don't receive pension credit, and so will lose the winter fuel allowance under the government’s plans unless they receive other benefits. The figures were compiled by the House of Commons Library based on data from the Department of Work and Pensions.

If passed, the Liberal Democrat motion would protect local pensioners by blocking the government’s changes and restoring their winter fuel payments. It is set to be tabled as soon as Parliament returns next week and has been backed by all 72 Liberal Democrat MPs.

Across the country, 11 million pensioners are set to lose their winter fuel payment under the government’s plans, including two million that the charity Age UK has said will struggle to afford their energy bills as a result. This is despite the average energy bill being set to rise by £149 a year from October.

The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to think again to protect poorer and more vulnerable pensioners from being forced to choose between eating and heating this winter.

“Many pensioners in my constituency will be worried about losing this vital support and how they will afford their energy bills this winter. Taking away this help just when energy bills are set to rise again is simply wrong. While I recognise that the government has difficult decisions to make and budgets to balance, cutting pensioners heating allowance is not a measure that I, nor my fellow Liberal Democrat MPs, can support,” said Jess.