Chloe SmithMP for Norwich North
Chloe SmithMember of Parliament for Norwich North, Chloe Smith has today built on her recent pledge to fight to end pensioner poverty by announcing her support for Age UK’s Warm Homes campaign. As another wave of cold weather hits Norfolk, Chloe wants to ensure that no pensioner has to choose between paying for heating or eating in winters to come.
Age UK’s Warm Homes campaign highlights that one of the main causes of cold homes in the UK is poor insulation, and the UK has some of the worst levels of home energy efficiency in Europe. With proper insulation and energy efficiency measures nearly all homes in the UK could be made much warmer.
Chloe backs Age UK’s simple tips to keeping homes warm and bills down:
· Keep your radiators and heaters clear of furniture, run the washing machine at a lower temperature and unplug chargers when they’re not in use.
· Draw your curtains in the evening to minimise heat loss through windows. Tuck long curtains behind radiators to prevent heat from getting trapped.
· Defrost your freezer every six months to ensure it runs efficiently.
· Consider switching energy supplier. There are lots of energy companies and tariffs to choose from. Watch out for extra charges, and check how long special offers or discounts run for to get the best price. Our free factsheet Switching energy supplier has useful information.
· Claim all the benefits you’re entitled to. As well as a Winter Fuel Payment, you may also be entitled to a Cold Weather Payment, and the Warm Home Discount on your electricity bill if you receive Pension Credit. Use our online benefits calculator to find out what you are eligible for.
Chloe fully supports these goals, and the EDP's community campaigning on similar issues. Locally, she will continue to work closely with Age UK, and several Church and voluntary groups that work tirelessly to support elderly members of the community, to see these simple steps implemented. More information about Age UK’s work and their campaigns can be found on their website www.ageuk.org.uk.
Chloe supports the Conservative Party's election pledge to keep the benefits like the Winter Fuel Allowance that mean so much to many local elderly people.
As a local MP, Chloe has always prioritised the welfare of local pensioners by tackling issues such as local transport provision so that something as simple as getting to the shops is not a daily struggle, and campaigning to keep the Timberhill Walk-In Centre in its central location to best serve Norwich residents.
More broadly, Chloe strongly backs the Government’s commitment to support pensioners. They believe that the best way to ensure that pensioners are financially secure in their retirement is to make sure that the state pension is as generous as possible, supplemented by additional benefits. In Parliament, Chloe has supported the Government’s decisive actions, including:
· A triple lock on the State Pension has been introduced, which will ensure that the basic State Pension increases every year by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5 per cent. As a result of this, the State Pension is worth about £440 more in 2014-15 than it was in 2010.
· A new pensioner bond is being created that will offer retired savers a return that is better than anything pensioners can get now. Alongside this, from April 2015 millions of people on Defined Contribution schemes will no longer have to buy an annuity if they don’t want to and there will be no punitive 55 per cent tax rate if you want to draw down more than your tax free lump sum. Importantly, people who have worked hard and saved all their lives will now be able to pass on their hard-earned pension pot tax-free.
Cold Weather Payments have also been increased and the Warm Home Discount introduced to provide vulnerable pensioners with an £135 rebate on their energy bills.
Chloe commented:
“No pensioner should be forced to live in cold homes as a result of high energy prices and poor insulation. I support Age UK’s efforts to raise awareness of the need for better information for households across the country, which will not only keep homes warm but bills down.
“I continue to fully back this Government’s actions to provide financial support to elderly people; and the Conservative Party is committed to keeping the key universal benefits which help pensioners so much.
“My own six-point plan for Norwich includes a commitment to ensuring Norwich is a great place to live, work and retire; I will continue to work in partnership with Age UK locally, alongside the EDP, who continue to champion the needs of our most vulnerable residents, to ensure that local pensioners are able to lead a secure and dignified retirement.”