News from Sheffield Labour

Paul Blomfield and Pensions Minister welcome £60 payment to all pensioners

Paul Blomfield, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Sheffield Central, today met with Rosie Winterton MP, the Pensions Minister, and welcomed the additional £60 payment that all pensioners in Sheffield are receiving this month to help with heating costs. Mr Blomfield met Rosie Winterton as she visited The Moor shopping centre to promote the extra financial help Labour is giving to pensioners. Mr Blomfield said he hoped that due to the increased help for pensioners, people won’t have to worry about whether they can afford to turn the heating up this winter.

Following the coldest start to winter in thirty years with record low temperatures, the Government has ordered that a special one-off payment of £60 be made to all pensioners. Pensioners will start to receive the extra £60 payment with their pension from this month.

Paul Blomfield said:

“This £60 payment is being made to 12,000 pensioners in Sheffield Central constituency and in total to 96,000 pensioners across the whole of Sheffield. Labour is providing real help to Sheffield’s pensioners.

“This year, as well as the £60 heating payment, all pensioners are also receiving an increased Winter Fuel payment. The State Pension and Pension Credit are increasing from April so that no single pensioner need live on less than £130 a week.”

Paul added:

“I hope this extra cash, alongside extra Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments, will mean that people won’t be worrying about whether they can afford to turn the heating up this winter. Thanks to a Labour government, everybody is getting real help with their bills.”

Other news from Sheffield Labour

• Station Bridge roundtable with Transport Ministers announced - 8 February 2012
• Paul Blomfield MP slams Tory "ambush" of Government Fair Access Director - 8 February 2012
• Angela Smith MP highlights economic problems faced by Barnsley - 7 February 2012