Just 43 pensioners give up their winter fuel payment

A GRAND total of 43 pensioners have handed back their Winter Fuel Payment so far this year - out of more than 12 million recipients.

Every year dozens of altruistic pensioners give back their Winter Fuel Allowance to the Government.

In 2016 some 98 people rejected their money, which is worth up to £300, from the Exchequer while so far this year 43 people have done so.

The latest data shows that 12.2m people received the cash in 2015/16.

This suggests that one pension- er in every 284,060 feels strongly out. ant in Newcastle’ before giving enough thatup.theyshouldn’tgetSome42,390peoplelivingin the money that they have given it the European Economic Area - He said his £200 would go to back in 2017. excluding warmer countries such good causes instead.

The Department for Work and as Portugal, Greece and Malta - Peter Stringfellow, the millionPensions recouped a maximum were paid the money. aire nightclub owner, wrote to the of £12,900 from these 43 selfless The Government’s website simGovernment the same year to try people compared to the £2.1bn ply says: “Write to the office that to give up his payment. cost of the Winter Fuel Payment pays your Winter Fuel Payment if “It is my opinion that giving in 2015/16. you want to cancel it.” people of my standing this gener

The payment is not means-testCelebrities have tried to give up ous payment is totally unnecesed and was paid to almost all the money in years gone by and sary,” he said. those aged 63 to 64 or older this spoken about how difficult it was In 2013 a total of 124 older peowinter. to reject the payments. ple gave back the cash - the high

The Conservatives have Lord Sugar, the businessman est total in the past seven years. pledged to bring in means-testing and star of The Apprentice said in We can reveal these figures in their election manifesto but 2010 that he spoke on the phone using a FOI request to the Govdidn’t say exactly who might lose for an hour with ‘some civil serv- ernment.