'I got a credit card as I lost winter fuel payment'

Sandra stated that she used to rely on the Winter Fuel Payment, but when it was changed to require a means test, her pension exceeded the threshold by £20 per week, causing her to lose the benefit. She told the BBC, "To cover expenses this winter, I've had to use credit cards, overdrafts, and credit accounts."

Sandra is one of 11 million pensioners who have lost the payment, which can be worth up to £300, at a time when temperatures are plummeting. The government has said it is committed to supporting pensioners, but the charity Age UK reports that calls to its advice line have increased by 60% during the coldest periods.

"I currently have £4 in my bank account," said 66-year-old Sandra, who lives alone in County Durham. "I'm paying off my credit card accounts every month, and that's a direct result of losing the Winter Fuel Payment." She also stated, "Psychologically, it makes you feel a bit of a failure. We are still in the winter months, and I just hope and pray that we don't get any more cold snaps, because if I can't pay my bills, I've got nowhere to go."

The Winter Fuel Payment is a one-off payment, with pensioners under 80 receiving £200 a year and those over 80 receiving £300. This payment was made in November or December and was previously available to all pensioners regardless of income. Last year, the government announced that it would restrict the payment to those eligible for Pension Credit and other means-tested benefits.

Age UK stated that calls to its advice line increased by 50% in the first full week of January, and then rose to 60% the following week. A spokesperson said, "The cold weather is one of the biggest concerns for callers at the moment. Even though the deadline to apply for Pension Credit to get the Winter Fuel Payment has now passed for this year, we are still seeing many enquiries about benefits checks due to increased concerns about the cost of living."

Earlier this month, a cold snap in the small village of Sedbergh in Cumbria triggered Cold Weather Payments. This is a one-off payment of £25 for those receiving benefits during periods of prolonged cold weather. Rosemary, 93, and Marjorie, 92, who are neighbors and have known each other since primary school, are both ineligible for the Winter Fuel Payment or Cold Weather Payment this year.

"Losing that money is a big loss," said Rosemary. "It makes a big difference. You shouldn't rely on it, but you do, and I thought 'oh, I can get some extra food, I can get another bag of coal'." Marjorie's house is old and poorly insulated. "I find it very hard to heat my house because all my walls are external and they're stone," she said. Data from the Department for Levelling Up shows the area north of Sedbergh is among the least energy-efficient in England.

At the Grange Community Centre in Blackpool, Rachel Danby advises pensioners on how to improve their home energy efficiency and reduce their bills. She told the BBC, "An older person might be paying all their bills, paying on time, and have no debts, so on the surface it looks like there's no problem, but actually they might not be eating, or they might not be putting the heating on." The government has said it does not want to see anyone suffer this winter and is committed to supporting pensioners, with the state pension for millions set to rise in April.