North West Essex Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to scrap cuts to Winter Fuel Allowance, and are urging other Uttlesford party leaders to follow suit.
Cllr Geoffrey Sell, leader of the Lib Dem group, stated that 90 per cent of pensioners currently receiving winter fuel payments in Uttlesford are set to lose it this winter.
Approximately 16,000 will no longer qualify for the £200 to £300 benefit.
Fellow Lib Dem councillors have voiced their concerns about the plans. Cllr Janice Loughlin said: "The government has made a huge mistake in pushing forward plans to scrap the winter fuel payment.
"Stripping support from thousands of vulnerable pensioners in Uttlesford just as energy bills are set to rise is cruel and completely unnecessary."
Cllr Alan Dean, member for Stansted North, added: "Uttlesford Liberal Democrats believe that the Labour Government has set the threshold at which pensioners do not qualify for Winter Fuel Payment far too low.
"Only those receiving a pension of less that £218.15 a week (or £332.95 a week for couples) are eligible for pension credits. This is significantly lower than the living wage rate."
Finally Cllr Richard Silcock said: "While it is sensible to withdraw winter fuel payments from those who don’t need them, pension credit is an inadequate way of addressing this. 880,000 households eligible for pension credit do not claim it.
"The line needs to be drawn elsewhere; the system needs adjustment for the very disadvantaged."
Cllr Sell has written to Uttlesford group leaders asking them to come together and write to the new Labour government, urging them to abandon the plans to stop giving the winter fuel payment to all but the most vulnerable pensioners.
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If the plans go ahead, the number of eligible pensioners will be reduced from more than 11 million to just 1.5 million.
The Liberal Democrats will also be asking the council to write to everyone they believe is eligible to claim for pension credit but does not do so currently, to ensure they are getting the money they deserve.
The leaders of the Uttlesford Conservatives and Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) have been approached for comment.
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