LABOUR: SNP MISLEAD PENSIONERS ON FREE HEATING

Scottish Labour’s Wendy Alexander has accused the SNP government of telling parliament that pensioners are still eligible for free central heating system – whilst in practice refusing to fund new systems.

Pensioners still have until the end of the month to claim £3,500 of free central heating. The scheme officially ends on March 31, after eight years, and will be replaced by a new Energy Assistance Package, which is targeted at only the poorest households.

Nicola Sturgeon told parliament in a statement on 22 May, 2008 that for the remainder of the financial year pensioners in receipt of pensioner credit would be prioritised, but “applications from people in other categories will continue to be considered.”

Ms Sturgeon continued, “That does not mean that nobody else will get a central heating system; it means that we are targeting our resources on the people who are most in need.” (1)

It now emerges that not a single pensioner in that group who was still technically eligible in fact got a system. (2) Furthermore, the overall number of systems installed has fallen by more than half since October. (3)

Housing Minister Alex Neil admitted in a parliamentary answer, “Only applicants in the priority groups announced on 22 May 2008 and again on 18 October 2008, have gone on to receive a central heating system under the Programme.”

Paisley North MSP Wendy Alexander said:

“The SNP Government is misleading both Parliament and pensioners by saying that those not on benefits are still eligible to claim £3,500 of free central heating. In fact, for nearly a year now it has only been available to the poorest households.

“Housing Minister Alex Neil let the truth slip in a Parliamentary Answer, when he said that only applicants in the priority groups announced last May ‘have gone on to receive a central heating system under the Programme.’

“It is bad enough that the SNP have removed a universal benefit for pensioners. The fact that they are also wasting people’s time by falsely pretending that the scheme is still open to everyone when it is not is appalling.”