Garston and Halewood Liberal Democrats
Christmas very late for Knowsley pensioners
March 3, 2009 12:00 AM
Christmas bonus payments for 1549 elderly people in Knowsley South to help
with winter fuel bills will not be paid until nearly Easter, warns a leading
local Liberal Democrat.
According to research carried out by Liberal Democrats in Parliament, nearly
one in ten older people will be getting their Christmas bonus at a time when
their grandchildren are getting their Easter eggs.
Cllr Sarah Smithson is leading calls in Knowsley South to speed up payments
and make sure older residents of the area get their bonus as soon as
possible.
"This late payment is appalling," said Sarah Smithson "At a time of sky high
heating and fuel bills, paying the bonus three months late is just not good
enough.
"I am urging the Government to ensure that payments are made promptly next
Christmas. Making the elderly wait until it's nearly Easter is just not
acceptable."
Steve Webb MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said,
"The Chancellor, Alistair Darling, stood up in the House of Commons in
November and promised pensioners a Christmas bonus on their winter fuel
payments, but clearly this was nothing of the sort.
"It is outrageous that this money will not be reaching pensioners until
nearly Easter."
Parliamentary questions by Liberal Democrat MPs revealed that 8.69 percent
of bonus payments - nearly one in ten - will not be made until March.
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