Clydebank pensioners react to loss of winter fuel payments

Dalmuir Barclay Church hosts their community pantry every week to offer residents an extra hand with shopping and by handing out hot meals.

However, many of those who frequent the cafe are now reacting to the loss of their winter fuel payment which would have given them up to £300 to deal with the rise in heating costs over the cold season.

The Scottish Government confirmed last Wednesday (August 14) that it will follow the UK Government by no longer providing winter fuel payments to all pensioners.

The next payment scheme - The Pension Age Winter Heating Payment - means-tested by Holyrood has been pushed back until winter 2025.

Members of the café say the move to cut the payment is a 'disgrace' (Image: Newsquest) Morag, 74, has called the dropping of the scheme a ''disgrace".

She said: "I’ll just have to cut down on my heating or get a blanket. It’s a disgrace. There are quite a few poor folks that come here and some of us are just average, we will all be affected.

"I wasn’t surprised when they stopped it. It's just a bit wrong. I worked for the region for 35 years and I never had a pension because I was part-time."

Another member of the cafe says it's unfair as pensioners cannot protest the cut like others in society can.

They said: "I'm really annoyed because I'm one of these pensioners like everybody else who has worked all our days, paid into it, and never claimed anything.

"I managed to raise my son as a one-parent family. I put him through university and anything I've got, I've worked for.

"I'm not worried, but it's just eating into my savings that I've worked hard for. You'll think twice about putting the heating on all day.

"Old age pensioners are not in a union. They're not going to strike. They can't do anything about it."

READ MORE: Ministers visit Clydebank’s ‘model’ Queens Quay heat pump

Adrienne who is also in her seventies says the system should be fairer.

She said: "It's unfair for people. If someone is on the breadline they should have something that is at least means-tested.

"Looking at the circumstances that people are in and the increase in fuel prices that is one of the benefits that should have been last to be taken away."

However, one man, who wanted to remain anonymous says it could be a good thing if it diverts funding to those most in need.

He said: "I used to get £300 in winter fuel payments. To be honest I don’t need it. I don’t like the way that the government did it, but from a fairness point of view, I don’t need it.

"I think maybe those that really need it might need a bit more.

"The Labour government say it's necessary because of the shambles left by the Conservatives."

Cafe volunteer and councillor Fiona Hennebry is preparing to open the cafe's warm hub again to welcome residents in from the cold. She says the problem is not all down to Labour.

Councillor Fiona Hennebry prepares to open the cafe's warm hub (Image: Newsquest) She said: "We have come through two really hard winters when fuel payments were given and we did everything we could for people at that point.

"It is going to have an impact on people? Yes, it is. I just hope that come the budget there will be something.

"I think we have seen in this emergency spending cap it’s not all down to Labour. People will struggle and have to rely on places like this. We will open again soon for our warm hub we have hot food and the heating on.

"We will be applying for grants, we handed out 400 blankets and thermos so that when people are leaving they can take a hot feeling with them.

"We are going to help families that don’t qualify for the winter payment, it's going to be another hard winter for people."