REMOVING the winter fuel allowance from some pensioners has been branded an “absurdity” by a pensioners campaign group in Southend.

According to reports, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is considering removing the winter fuel allowance as a way of “clawing back some tax payer funds from the elderly”.

Southend and District Pensioner’s Campaign have criticised the potential move and said it would have an adverse impact on pensioners health.

Jean Howes, honorary secretary at Southend and District Pensioner’s Campaign, said: “You’ve got to think, pensioners are at home more.

“My gas bills are 50 per cent higher than the average household because we’re in during the day and in our 70s so we need to be warm.

“It would have an adverse effect on our health if we had to turn the heat off.”

The Prime Minister has admitted he “understands the politics” of the triple lock – a policy that increases pensions each year by whatever is highest out of average earnings, inflation or 2.5 per cent.

The government is expected to commit to the triple lock and is looking for ways to offset the costs, such as only reserving the winter fuel allowance for those on pension credit.

However Mrs Howes believes this is unproductive and that looking at pensioners this way is dangerous.

She added: “You can’t look at pensioners as a block, the problem with the cabinet is they are all really wealthy and not attuned to the way ordinary people live.

“The triple lock has been with us for a decade, it brings most pensioners’ level of income to a reasonable level but some are still left in a poverty trap.

“That is just above the threshold for pension credit but not near the average wage.”

The winter fuel allowance ensures those born before September 25, 1957, have between £250 and £600 each winter to spend on heating bills.

Mrs Howes adds that removing the allowance will hurt future generations as well.

She added: “Pensioners have no choice, there’s no way we can increase our income as we don’t work.

“What we’re doing is fighting for a certain quality of life for pensioners. Hopefully it will help the next generation as well.”