The Labour Welsh Government has been urged to do more to help all pensioners facing a cold winter after it emerged it would provide £500,000 to support Gypsy Roma Traveller communities.
The decision by the UK Labour Government to restrict fuel payments to all but the poorest pensioners means an estimated 500,000 Welsh retirees will lose up to £300 this winter.
But Jane Hutt, the Welsh minister for social justice has agreed to provide £200,000 to the Fuel Bank Foundation to support people in Gypsy Roma Traveller communities who are “at risk of fuel crisis” and £300,000 to local authorities to “support broader winter fuel costs”.
Laura Anne Jones, a Conservative member of the Welsh Parliament, said: “Over half a million pensioners in Wales risk being pushed into fuel poverty and forced to choose between heating and eating as a result of Labour’s budget. I don’t want to see anyone getting cold.
“If Labour can find the money to help Gypsy Travellers pay their fuel bills then they should be able to the same for all pensioners across Wales.”
The Welsh Government says it has provided £1.2million this year so an estimated 8,400 households can have “crisis fuel vouchers” for “essential energy assistance”.
Since 2022, the Fuel bank Foundation has distributed 62,000 vouchers and made more than 360 bulk fuel deliveries to off-grid households.
The foundation provides help for people who pre-pay for their fuel and are “at risk of disconnection” or are off-grid.
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “Since June 2022, we have allocated more than £6.3million funding to the Fuel Bank Foundation.”
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