Blethering Skite

The 19,001 pensioners across the Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire will be among 58,817 in the north of Scotland to lose the winter fuel payment this year – a drop of 88 per cent.

Numbers from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) reveal the scale of the problem for many – In the Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire seat of 21,123 pensioners just 2,122 now qualify while 19,001 lose out.

In Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross all 20,320 pensioners will lose the winter fuel payment, just 2,616 on pension credit now qualify. And Finally in Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey 19,496 people will lose the benefit and just 2,034 will get it.

At the end of July Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced only those on pension credit would receive the payment, the Scottish Government followed suit saying it had no other choice amid an estimated loss of £160 million.

Politicians from across the political divide have been almost unanimous in warning that the loss of the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in the north will be felt more deeply because fuel poverty rates are already higher than the rest of the UK.