Scottish couple lose felony problem of wintry weather gas cost cuts

A pair have misplaced a bid to sue the United Kingdom and Scottish governments over the verdict to chop wintry weather gas bills.

Pensioners Peter and Flo Fanning, from Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire, took their case to the Court of Session in Edinburgh in March, alleging that each governments did not adequately discuss with the ones of pension age and didn’t liberate an equality affect evaluate at the adjustments.

The Court of Session dominated to refuse the petition on Friday.

The couple’s attorneys have mentioned they’ve indubitably the Fanning’s litigation have been influential in securing U-turns via each governments.

A spokesperson from the Govan Law Centre advised BBC Scotland News: “While our clients have lost their case at first instance, we have no doubt that this litigation has been influential in securing the partial U-turn made by the Scottish government last November and the major policy U-turn confirmed by the UK government earlier this week.

“We hope that the Scottish govt will now practice go well with and repair the wintry weather gas cost in complete for other folks comparable to our shoppers.”

Earlier this week, the UK government abandoned plans to withdraw the payments from all but the poorest pensioners after the scheme drew widespread criticism.

The Scottish government had already launched its own winter fuel benefit in response to the original cuts which included extra support for those less well-off, but also a universal payment which is unaffected by income.

The Govan Law Centre added the legal challenge “used to be all the time one in every of procedure” and the fact the UK government has already reconsidered the cuts “vindicates” their clients.

It said that an appeal would have “cheap potentialities of luck” but added it is unlikely that legal aid would be provided for this.

About 10 million pensioners in England and Wales lost their allowance under new measures announced by chancellor Rachel Reeves in July last year.

Those on pension credit or certain other means-tested benefits retained the annual payments, worth between £100 and £300.

In Scotland, the payment was devolved to Holyrood in April 2024, but the Scottish government followed the actions of their counterparts in Westminster in terminating it in August 2024, arguing £160m had been taken from its budget.

A new alternative, called the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP), was due to be introduced the following month, but that has since been pushed back to winter 2025.

It will also be means-tested, despite ministers claiming it would not be.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville recently said the universal approach of the devolved Scottish scheme was important – but that wealthier pensioners would be made aware that they could opt out.

The current plan is for all pensioner households to receive at least £100 regardless of income, while those on pension credit will receive up to £305 depending on age.

Meanwhile, the devolved govt in Northern Ireland additionally adopted go well with, however affected pensioners got a one-off £100 cost from Stormont in November.