750,000 Scots pensioners lose the right to free heating

Aug 10 2008 By Mark Aitken Political Editor

DESPERATE pensioners have been refused free central heating because of means-testing by the Scottish government.

Three out of four OAPs - 750,000 people - who qualified under the previous Labour-led administration are now NOT entitled to any free help.

In one case, an Ayrshire couple were told a new heating system would be installed in their home.

They delayed the work because of the husband's ill-health but after he died, his wife was told she no longer qualified.

Labour MSP Duncan McNeil slammed the withdrawal of free heating systems for all pensioners last night and said: "This is classic SNP.

"They claim to be a government that cares for pensioners but they are punishing the people who have worked hard all their lives and receive a small works pension.

"They flatly denied they would introduce means-testing. But it is now upon us."

One couple losing out are Margaret and Bill Carter, of Greenock, who have had no heating and hot water in their flat for more than a month.

They have been told they are not entitled to a new system because they are not in receipt of pension credit.

Now Margaret, 75, and Bill, 78, face a grim winter because they cannot afford the £1500 needed to replace their boiler.

Margaret, a retired IBM worker, said: "I've had to stand in the shower and wash down with water from a kettle. It's like going back to the 1920s.

"Applying for a new boiler was the first time in our lives we had tried to claim anything for free.

"You work all your days and this is what you get in return."

In May, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said future applicants would be prioritised while a review is done.

A Scottish Gas memo confirms applications can only be accepted from people who have never had central heating or those who need replacements and are either over 80 or receiving guaranteed pension credit.

The Scottish Government said: "Prioritising those with no working heating who are on pension credit or over 80 is a temporary measure to allow us to implement Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum recommendations."

Lindsay Scott, of Help the Aged in Scotland, said: "The universal scheme was unsustainable. With rising energy costs, it is more important than ever that it is targeted at those who are in fuel poverty.

"Our concern is that it is all very well having a free central heating system but what happens when you can't afford to use it?"

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