Winter fuel payment cut: ‘I will miss out by £3’

Sandra, 66, from Durham said she had just £4 left in her account, and had to borrow money from her brother last month to pay the bills.

She told the BBC she got through last winter by wearing a hat and scarf in doors, and using hot water bottles, warm beverages and extra bedding to keep the cold away.

In the coming months, Sandra plans to visit public spaces to keep warm.

“My local library is open a couple of days a week, so I’ll go there. I don’t have a lot to complain about, because I don’t go hungry – but I’m sure some do.”

She said she feels the “vulnerable” are being punished by the cuts.

“I pay tax already and have nothing left each month before the next state pension payment, which is my main source of income, ” she said. “£215 every month goes towards council tax and energy bills. I don’t drive, eat out, go on holiday or buy new clothes – I can’t do anything extra.”

Labour has insisted that the cut – worth about £1.5bn – is necessary to fill an alleged £22bn “black hole” in the budget left by the previous Conservative government.

The Conservatives say Labour is exaggerating the state of the public finances to lay the ground for tax rises in the October budget.