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Winter fuel payments in NI to become means tested
The communities minister has confirmed Stormont will be following Westminster’s lead when it comes to winter fuel payments for pensioners.
Last month, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the payments of up to £300 would become means tested in England and Wales, and would only be given to those on certain benefits.
In a written statement to the assembly, Gordon Lyons said while he did not agree with the move, Stormont would be maintaining parity with the rest of the UK.
“Regrettably there is no additional resource available in the budget to allow us to diverge from the UK Government decision,” he said.
From this autumn, those not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer get the annual payments, worth between £100 and £300.
Section 87 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 generally means that social security benefits are paid at the same rates and with the same conditions of entitlement across the UK.
Any deviation from this principle of parity that results in additional expenditure in Northern Ireland must normally be paid by central government in what is known as a block grant.
The Treasury block grant accounts for more than 90% of the funding used for the day-to-day operation of services in Northern Ireland. The rest is raised locally from property taxes and other charges.
“The estimated additional cost to the Block Grant of maintaining universal entitlement to a Winter Fuel Payment in Northern Ireland for Winter 2024/25 is £44.3 million,” Mr Lyons said in a statement.
He said a letter signed by all Northern Ireland Ministers has been sent to the Prime Minister “voicing deep concerns and urging him to reconsider”.
“I have made clear to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions my total opposition to this decision and outlined the detrimental impact it will have on many people in Northern Ireland,” Mr Lyons added.
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