Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has urged his Labour counterpart to back a U-turn on the winter fuel payment ahead of the UK Budget next week.

The UK Government announced this summer that the benefit provided to pensioners would be means-tested rather than universal as a result of intense budget pressures.

The decision set off a political firestorm, with criticism from across parties, charities and activists, with MSPs – including two from Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s own party – backing calls for a U-turn in a Holyrood vote.

The Scottish Government also took the decision to delay its rollout of a devolved version of the payment, controlled by Social Security Scotland, due to the resulting cut to its budget.

On Thursday, Mr Findlay, who has been in the job less than a month, urged Mr Sarwar and all leaders in Holyrood to sign a letter from the trade union Unite calling for the move to be reversed.

“Labour’s decision to axe the winter fuel payment will cause suffering for millions of elderly people across the UK, forcing many to choose between heating and eating,” he said.

Anas Sarwar
Anas Sarwar has said the Labour Government did not want to cut the payment’s eligibility, but was left with a dire financial situation by the Tories (Jane Barlow/PA)

“I’m urging every Holyrood political leader to do the decent thing and join me in signing this letter calling for Labour to reinstate these lifeline payments.

“Anas Sarwar should stand up for Scotland’s pensioners by exerting whatever influence he has on Sir Keir Starmer to reverse this reckless decision, which was imposed with zero consultation.

“Snatching cash from the elderly is surely not the ‘change’ that Labour promised.

“I know where I stand, but Anas Sarwar has a simple question to answer – is he on the side of Keir Starmer or Scotland’s pensioners?”

The letter from Unite says pensioners in Scotland will “suffer this winter” as a result of the decision, adding: “This is something which we cannot in good conscience support.

“It is an issue which transcends political divisions, with trade unions and wider civil society united in opposition to the means-test.”

The union has sought support from all of Scotland’s party leaders for the call.

Mr Sarwar has previously defended the move, saying the UK Government did not want to make the cut, but has been left with a financial legacy from the Tories which made it inevitable.

He has also said he would like to see a more targeted approach taken to the benefit and has offered to work with the Scottish Government to draw up eligibility criteria.

Scottish Labour economy spokesman Daniel Johnson described Mr Findlay’s push as “pathetic”, adding: “Russell Findlay should spend less time chasing headlines and more reflecting on how the last Tory government crashed the economy and made the unfunded spending promises which put the UK Labour Government in this difficult position in the first place.

“Scottish Labour has already outlined a suggested package to help low income households and could ensure a third of all pensioners receive support this winter, funded by the £41 million in Barnett consequentials from the UK Government.

“The UK Labour Government is tackling the cost-of-living crisis by investing in an energy transition and cleaning up the economic mess the Tories created.”