Age UK's statement in response to the Autumn Budget

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said:

On Winter fuel payments

“Nothing in the Budget changes the plight of the 4 in 5 pensioners on low and modest incomes set to lose their Winter Fuel Payment this year when they simply cannot afford to do so, and that’s a massive disappointment. The Government could have brought forward measures to safeguard these older people but chose not to, despite compelling evidence showing how severely as many as two and half million in this position will be hit.

It comes to something when the best policy option older people on tight budgets now have left is to hope and pray for a mild winter. But even if the weather is kind we know that millions will face impossible choices over how to make their money stretch far enough to keep them fed and warm through the colder months. The Government’s cut to Winter Fuel Payment is coming in too quickly and hitting too many older people, and their decision not to right the wrong in this Budget is a source of enormous regret.  We fear there will be severe consequences for some older people as a result and we will be monitoring this carefully over the coming weeks and months, while continuing to campaign.”

On the NHS & Social care

“The very significant additional funding announced in the Budget for the NHS is important for older people, its biggest users. It should at least prevent things from getting worse and it will hopefully create the stability on which a positive and progressive 10-year NHS Plan can be built. We presume that quite a lot of the extra money will be taken up by the increase in Employers’ National Insurance contributions, but nonetheless the high priority given to supporting our healthcare system is warmly welcome. The more limited extra money for social care will, we hope, help keep fragile provision from completely falling over, but we note it is split between adults’ and children’s social care so it will not go very far. This means that the seemingly endless wait for the far-reaching, fundamental reform and refinancing of social care that is so badly needed goes on - heartbreaking for all the older and disabled people who need social care, and their families.”

On Carers Allowance

“We applaud the changes announced to Carers Allowance, which are seriously overdue. Unpaid carers are the backbone of our social care system and need and deserve much more practical support than they currently receive. These changes are important recognition of this and a step in the right direction. We hope there will be more to come.”