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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Christmas comes late for 7,900 elderly people in South Wales West
February 27, 2009 12:00 AM
Christmas bonus payments for 7,900 elderly people in South Wales West to help with winter fuel bills will not be paid until nearly Easter, the regional Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, Peter Black has warned.
According to research carried out by Liberal Democrats in Parliament, nearly one in ten older people will be getting their Christmas bonus at a time when their grandchildren are getting their Easter eggs. Parliamentary questions by Liberal Democrat MPs revealed that 8.69 percent of bonus payments - nearly one in ten - will not be made until March.
Mr. Black is leading calls to speed up payments and make sure older residents of the area get their bonus as soon as possible.
"This late payment is appalling," said Mr. Black "At a time of sky high heating and fuel bills, paying the bonus three months late is just not good enough. This may seem like a small matter from the Chancellor's cosy office in Westminster, but for the 2,600 elderly people in each of Bridgend and Swansea; and the 2,500 in Neath Port Talbot waiting until it is nearly Easter is just not acceptable.
"I am urging the Government to ensure that payments are made promptly next Christmas. The Chancellor, Alistair Darling, stood up in the House of Commons in November and promised pensioners a Christmas bonus on their winter fuel payments, but clearly this was nothing of the sort. It is outrageous that this money will not be reaching pensioners so late in the year.
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