WATCH: Unite Portsmouth members gather in Guildhall Square to protest winter fuel payment cuts to pensioners
Members of a trade union took to the streets to protest the government’s winter fuel payment cuts to pensioners.
Unite the Union announced that their members would be protesting across the country on Friday, November 29. That included members of Unite Portsmouth who took to Guildhall Square to make their feelings known.
Alan Burgess, a member of the Portsmouth Unite community, said: “We are protesting because we have been hit by a double whammy from the labour government, on top of 14 years of Tory austerity, and it is really unacceptable.
“The winter fuel allowance has been taken away and we have price increases from Ofgem, it’s unacceptable and that is why we are protesting.”
The cuts were announced by the chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, in July and it has proven controversial. Unite has now begun legal action by setting in motion a judicial review of the government's policy, believing that it has acted unlawfully.
With Unite members across the country protesting, Alan said: “We want to restore the winter fuel allowance and nationalise energy companies so that they don’t profit from old people’s misery.”
The protests come after Unite commissioned a poll which revealed 65 per cent of voters think it is unfair that pensioners on incomes as low as £220 a week will be refused winter fuel payments. The poll results also showed that nearly 75 per cent of respondents are worried about themselves or a family member affording their heating bills this winter.
A government spokesperson previously said: “We are committed to supporting pensioners – with millions set to see their state pension rise by up to £1,900 this parliament through our commitment to the triple lock.
“Over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment, and our drive to boost pension credit take-up has already seen a 152% increase in claims. While many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount to help with their energy bills over winter.”
Watch the video embedded in this article to hear more from the protestors in Portsmouth.