Unite calls for judicial review into government winter fuel cuts

Unite is pursuing legal action against the Labour government in a bid to overturn the means testing of the winter fuel allowance for pensioners.

The trade union has made a formal application to the High Court to forward with a full judicial review into the government’s decision, which was announced shortly after Labour took office in a bid to plug a £22bn hole in the public finances.

Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham, who has campaigned for months calling for the policy to be dropped, said that the move was “wrong on every level”.

She said: “The government has been given every opportunity to reverse its decision and it has failed to do so.

“This is a rushed, ill-thought-out policy and the government clearly failed to follow the proper legal measures before executing it. With winter approaching the courts must now hold the government to account and reverse this cruel cut as quickly as possible.”

READ MORE: Inside the FBU ‘civil war’ as union urges ‘civilised’ general secretary contest

Around ten million pensioners have lost their entitlement to the winter fuel allowance, although the benefit will still be paid to those who receive pension credit.

In the union’s application to the High Court, Unite has requested that the matter be considered urgent and an early hearing arranged due to worsening weather conditions and dropping temperatures.

The government has repeatedly defended the decision to means test the winter fuel allowance, describing the move as a necessary but regrettable measure to stabilise the economy.

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