Charles Sandilands’ home in Acaster Malbis is as close to paradise as can be found in York. Surrounded by luscious green fields and filled with photos of his grandchildren, it seems the perfect place to retire—except for one thing: the retirees are missing.
At 73, Charles had briefly stepped into retirement just before the first COVID-19 lockdown. However, rising living costs forced him back into work to help make ends meet.
“Energy costs went sky high. Then when the new government came in we [Charles lives with his wife who is also in her 70s] both lost the winter fuel allowance, so that was like a kick in the teeth. We both get the state pension which is now of course subject to tax. Gradually we realised that our way of life was being whittled away.”
Charles feels that older people like himself are increasingly overlooked in national conversations.
“The government have punished us with the change in tax and with the loss of the winter fuel allowance. I suppose from the government’s point of view, the over-65s don’t support the government, so why should they support us? That’s the way it feels. It’s kind of tit-for-tat. You don’t, as a whole, vote for us, so we’re going to take it away from you.”
He believes this dismissive attitude toward pensioners extends beyond politics.
“There’s a kind of anonymity and it’s the same feeling I get when I apply for a full-time job. I feel that I’m not being listened to because of my age.”
Charles Sandilands’ story is just the tip of the iceberg. Across the United Kingdom, pensioner poverty is becoming an increasingly urgent crisis. Nowhere is this more evident than in York, where the City of York Council estimates that at least 6,500 pensioners—those aged over 65 and claiming a pension—are currently living in poverty.
A report produced two years ago by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found that pensioner poverty rose from 13% in 2011–12 to 16% in 2022–23, that three percent rise may seem inconsequential but it’s equivalent to an increase of 300,000 pensioners.
The impact of this rise is likely far worse in Yorkshire and The Humberside, which has the highest rate of relative pensioner poverty of anywhere in the country (see the below graphic for details). And yet in the years since, the situation has almost certainly grown worse.
In York, older residents are increasingly turning to food banks for support. Between April and September 2024, 102 emergency food parcels were distributed to people aged 65 and over by the York Food Bank. This age group accounted for 2.47% of all parcels distributed during that period — more than double the 1.13% seen in the same timeframe back in 2019.
While the overall figures remain relatively small, the upward trend suggests a growing reliance on emergency food support among older people in the city.
What changed?
Last year the new national Labour Government announced their decision to cut the universal Winter Fuel Allowance, an annual payment of around £300 given to every old aged person in the country to help deal with heating costs during the colder months. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that cutting the allowance was a tough choice she hadn’t wanted to make, but maintained that it was necessary for stabilising public finances. The Winter Fuel Payment is now only available to households that include someone who is over state pension age and receives Pension Credit or other qualifying benefits. Labour say this allows pensioner households on the lowest incomes to retain support.
One of the loudest critics of that decision came from within the Labour Party itself.
In August 2024 the Labour Member of Parliament for York Central, Rachael Maskell, published a statement titled, “Calling for a rethink on Winter Fuel Allowance.” which openly criticised the decision and called for a change in policy.
This month she told Your Local Link why eight months later, she still thinks her party aren’t doing enough to live up to their responsibilities to the community, both here in York and across the country.
“The scale of fear about cuts to these benefits is widespread in the city. Labour has a special responsibility to people who live their lives in poverty, to those who experience issues around access, and to older and vulnerable people.”
“The Labour party was created to give those people a hand-up, to ensure that people had work that paid and the safety net of a welfare state.”
“For a long time there hasn’t been the right investments in our economy and so as a country we haven’t weathered the cost-of-living storm. People are feeling that pinch and wages haven’t risen at the same rate as their bills. As a result, many people have struggled in the city [York].”
She adds that on top of the impact of the loss of Winter Fuel Allowance, there are 5,000 people in York who stand to lose out on benefit support as a result of the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments.
She says, “I think it’s vital that the government steps back on it’s proposed changes and that they recognise the catastrophic impact it will have.”
Mrs Maskell outlines that there are alternatives to raising the money the government needs to get the economy growing. She suggested that instead of cutting benefits they could introduce a Wealth Tax or increase Corporation Tax. A wealth tax (also called a capital tax or equity tax) is a tax on an entity’s holdings of assets or an entity’s net worth, rather than their annual income.
She said that despite the real anxieties people may have, residents can rest assured that help is available.
“It’s really important that no one suffers in silence. There are amazing charities and organisations across York who can help. I’m here to stand for people, to speak for them, and to fight for them.”
The Local Impact
The latest Department for Work and Pensions figures show that 2,780 of the city’s 36,735 pensioners claimed pension credit at the time of the decision, meaning that potentially 33,955 pensioners in the city likely missed out on the Winter Fuel Allowance.
The council say that an 231 extra pensioners managed to sign up in time, but still estimate that 1 in 3 people who are eligible, are currently not claiming. This works out more than 1,000 people.
The threshold to receive Pension Credit is £227.10 per week for single individuals and £346.60 per week for couples. To give some context, a person earning the National Living Wage who works 35-hours per week would earn £427 per week.
We spoke to two local residents living right above that threshold, as they attended a “Community Larder” ran by local charity Door84 in The Groves area of York. Funded at cost entirely by the charity, the event offers the chance for locals who may be struggling financially to purchase high quality food — including frozen bacon, Sainsbury’s ready meals, fresh vegetables, and hygiene products — for less than half price.
While the events are attended by a real mix of residents in different circumstances, there is a growing proportion of older residents making use of the service, like Penny and Carol who are both aged 80.
Carol says that the loss of the Winter Fuel Allowance was yet another setback in an period in which everything, from energy to the price of an ice cream, seems to have become more and more expensive.
“Everything’s getting smaller — a few years ago you’d get 10 choc-ices for £1, now it’s 8 for £1.50!”
Penny added, “If they hadn’t taken that £300 away then people would have put up with it. If you live in a house, you’ve still got it to heat — and £300 is a lot of money.”
Penny says that after her husband Ian passed away she lost access to his pension which has significantly reduced the amount of money she has each week.
“My house insurance has just gone up by £390! And the upkeep is expensive enough. My husband was a builder so he could do a lot. Now I’ve got to pay someone to do it, or do it myself.”
Carol says that as she can’t afford to keep the heating on, the only way to properly keep warm is to make sure she keeps moving, but even this comes with its own risks.
“I’ve got brittle bones so if I fall and nobody’s there, then there’s nothing I can do. I’m into blankets. I’ve had to put less heating on, but what choice do I have?”
Just weeks after the government announced cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance, York’s Labour council made a local decision that further impacted the city’s pensioners: ending its support for several social day clubs for older residents.
These clubs, run in partnership with the local charity Age UK York, had provided more than just a hot meal. They offered warmth, companionship, and a lifeline to those facing financial hardship or social isolation. While two dementia-specific clubs remain council-funded, the broader network was cut back.
Maria Pickard, who manages social clubs at Age UK York, said, “Back in September 2024 we lost the money for our clubs. The clubs were really well received and we had a number of clients coming each week. So we out together a plan to self-fund the clubs.”
By November, the clubs were back — but at half the scale. They now serve 52 people a week, down from 98 when council funding was in place.
When we visited one of the clubs last month, we met best friends Doreen (89) and Dorothy (94). Over a cup of tea, they told us just how much the space means to them
Doreen, aged 89, said, “I live on my own where I often see nobody — so I love the company.”
“We used to get a meal here but we don’t get one anymore. That used to be nice. But they say they’ve got no money”, Dorothy added.
To better understand exactly why the council chose to cut funding, I attended a City of York Council press briefing on the 2025/26 budget. I asked what support now exists for older residents in place of the Age UK day clubs.
Cllr Katie Lomas, who is the council’s Executive Member for Finance, told me that these social clubs were cut following a review into council funded services, as they looked to ensure funds were not wasted due to duplication.
“There are a huge number of community based services out there for older people that we either contract, give grants to, or [provide] other funding to keep them going. We also have our warm spaces programme which runs over winter to make sure that older people have somewhere warm to go, and importantly get some contact with other people because we know that isolation increases over winter.”
She says that the clubs were cancelled so that funding could be placed where it could better serve those who need it. They point to the York Financial Assistance Scheme, through which York residents can apply to receive vouchers that subsidise payments for fuel and food.
Conservative Councillor Chris Steward, who is leader of one of the opposition parties at City of York Council, told us that he considers the changes to be the wrong choice because the groups had been a vital resource for York’s community. But Labour maintain that they have streamlined services to improve the council’s efficiency.
Cllr Lomas said, “We usually put £250,000 into that [The York Financial Assistance Scheme] and we’re increasing that by an additional £150,000. That’s for anyone who’s experiencing food or fuel poverty whatever their age group. It’s important to note that it’s not just older people who experience the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, everyone at every age group can face that but we are significantly increasing our input, and that’s on top of the household support fund which government has continued so we’ve got both those funds available for residents who are in need.”
It’s difficult to know how much of that funding actually reaches York’s older population. The latest available report on the scheme — from April 2023 to April 2024 — predates the Winter Fuel Allowance cut. During that period, just 0.5% of voucher recipients were classified as elderly
Sue and Carol, who had attended the Door84 Community Pantry, both said that they wouldn’t know where to start with an application for the scheme, but believed that most support available was limited to those who are on Pension Credit.
Carol said, “You’ve got to be on pension credit, and we’re not. They even get a free TV licence. That costs me another £175 a year.”
In fact according to the council’s website, to be eligible for the York Financial Assistance Scheme, residents must be over 16, have access to public funds, and either be receiving certain benefits like Universal Credit or Pension Credit, earning less than £23,400 a year, or facing an emergency such as domestic abuse, a disaster, or a sanctioned benefit payment.
Cllr Lucy Steels-Walshaw, Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care at City of York Council, told us, “Anybody who needs help to apply for support such as Pension Credit, can get in touch with the Council. If a resident needs help with the York Financial Assistance Scheme application, they can call the council on 0808 168 5238 for free support. Local Area Coordinators, community venues such as libraries, and a range of local advice services can also give support if anyone is having difficulty.”
Where residents are aware of the scheme, it does seem to be making a real impact. Rachel Platts, a charity worker at Door84 shared an anecdote from a previous role she held with another charity in York.
“We had a shipping container absolutely full of food and within six months of fuel prices going up, it was all gone.” She says that it all went to those using Fuel and Food vouchers.
“We noticed that when the energy crisis hit so many people in York were having to choose between eating and heating their homes. But people still aren’t turning on their heating, so what are they doing?”
It’s important to add, that for the clubs in place since November 2024 Age UK York now charge a £10 admission fee. This includes the price of transport to the club (via the Age UK York minibus), refreshments and activities.
For those hit hardest that £10 fee can a step too far however.
“A Double Whammy”
We spoke to Kallum Taylor, an Executive Officer at the charity York Neighbours, which helps reduce isolation among older residents by offering regular visits and free social outings.
Kallum said, “The vast majority of people on our books, they don’t have regular contact with friends or family on a regular basis and they feel stuck. It’s quite harrowing at times — but it’s why we exist.”
“A fair percentage of our neighbours are feeling the pinch. A lot of them also feel as though they’re not connected to the community so they’re lonely. So if you’re one of those people it’s a double whammy.”
“One of the reasons that our users [are so isolated] is that they can’t afford to go out. We do social outings that are free, if we charged for them, they wouldn’t come.”
The demand for support has grown sharply. When York Neighbours was founded in 2018, they were helping 78 people. Today, they support 540.
Kallum said, “We’ve had a lot of cutbacks to public services, and then we’ve got the population pressure. York has a high percentage of over 65s and they is set to shoot up again.”
Currently, around 44,000 people in York are aged over 65. By 2041, that number is projected to rise by 34% — an increase of nearly 15,000 older residents.
By the numbers
The most accurate depiction of the situation since the allowance was cut has been published by the national Age UK charity. Their March 2025 report highlights a striking increase in the financial anxiety of pensioners right across the United Kingdom. This anxiety has significantly worsened since the start of last winter.
The 2025 survey is broken down by region which again highlights that the impacts of the loss in the Winter Fuel allowance are being felt acutely by pensioners here in York.
Although some 64% of pensioners in the region feel more secure or no less secure than last year, that 34% — more than 1 in 3, and an estimated 340,000 people across Yorkshire and Humberside — of pensioners feel worse off than a year ago, a time period that constituted the loss of that vital Winter Fuel Allowance and the end of funding for social day clubs for older people in York is significant.
We spoke to Simon Holmes, the CEO of Age UK York, who up until last year had been in charge of organising the social clubs for older people in partnership with City of York Council.
“We want to fight for these people and I know the operational teams in the council feel very much the same. There’s a partnership at the heart of this. Whilst there’s disagreements in terms of national government decisions, ultimately as Age UK York our efforts are better used in ensuring the benefits that are still there meet the people who really need them.”
He points to another section of the new Age UK study, that of the 44% of those involved in the survey who said they had cut back on heating or powering their home, some 59% said they would rather turn off their heating than go into debt — that’s 260,000 people.
“The way we frame the questions [is deliberate], in a way it’s not necessarily factual but it’s the element of doubt, fear, and concern [that’s important].
In most cases, “they haven’t seen a bill yet but are pre-empting it and are taking action. They might be on their own, perhaps they’re not connected to people and don’t have an idea of the support that’s available.”
He says that the real worry is that people are prepared to compromise on their wellbeing in order to avoid getting into debt.
Simon also says that one of the main difficulties caused by the decision to cut the Winter Fuel Allowance was its timing.
He didn’t feel that they were given a great deal of time to plan and prepare for the loss in payment which unfortunately led to even more people slipping through the net and missing out on money they badly needed.
“To apply and get these [alternative] benefits isn’t an immediate thing”, he said.
“Winter Fuel allowance may be cut, but it doesn’t stop us targeting the very people who should be getting it. It is still available but rather than it being universal, we now need to be sure to reach those that would be losing out.”
He says that there’s still a great deal of stigma around applying for benefits no matter how vital they are. Which is why a universal benefit— that is offered to everyone with the need for application— is a much safer method for reaching those who need help.
“Sometimes it’s because they’re not aware, or don’t understand how to apply, but sometimes people don’t want to think of themselves as a burden, or they see it as a handout. We’ve been working with the council to try to identify those people so that we can help them.”
“Using software they found that there were over 400 of these people, together we’ve engaged these people and now quite a few have signed up.”
“Why does it take 12 weeks?”: The Bureaucracy Barrier
Next we spoke with someone at the heart of those benefit applications. Olivia Bache works for Older Citizens Advocacy York (OCAY) — a charity that speaks up on behalf of older people in York. Currently the vast majority of Olivia’s work is in supporting people to fill out application forms for benefits like the ones Simon mentioned, as well as disability payments like the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
“Most of the time we can get them something but it’s always a very lengthy process — you’re talking 6-10 weeks to hear back from some of these forms and that’s if they don’t find fault with and then you have to appeal! I would say 70% of claims will always want a review — so sometimes you’re talking 12 weeks.”
“Why does it take 12 weeks? The amount of paper. You’re talking 15 pages sometimes. I wouldn’t even know the answers to these. How many times to you get up in the night to go to the toilet? I mean, It varies!”
She says that there’s a lot of resistance from administration workers, both those who work for national government and our council here in York, when helping with these applications.
“It’s very difficult. There’s a lot of resistance. There needs to more compassion and understanding.
“They’re making older people more invisible and they’re making it more difficult to have a good quality of life.”
It’s made more difficult by the fact that everything needs to be done online, and as Olivia puts it, a lot of older people “don’t do online”
When we reached out to the council about the problems Olivia is expressing here, they said that free support is available to all residents who need it, adding that this is available in-person and via the phone as well as online.
They say that if a resident needs help with an application for the York Financial Assistance Scheme for example, they can call up on 0808 168 5238 for free support. They also added that community venues like libraries, and a range of local advice services can also give support if anyone is having difficulty.
Alongside her role at OCAY, Olivia also has a lot of experience with the disability benefit system in her own family. Both of Olivia’s parents have disabilities so are unable to work.
“The government have also decided to review a lot of PIP. My Dad’s blind, which obviously can’t be disputed, but he got very ill and has ended up losing his leg. They said we want to review your PIP — all while he was in hospital. They did offer an extension but it seemed as though they were quote callous and even cold.”
The loss of the Winter Fuel Allowance has only exacerbated the situation for Olivia’s dad.
“It was very hard on my parents because my dad gets cold a lot and he needs to have the heating on and why should you have to be cold just because they’re done that [cut the allowance].”
“I think it’s awful the fact that you have to choose between whether you want to be warm [or eat] why should you have to sacrifice. As you get older you do feel the cold more. You get more health problems, so the need is greater.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by social isolation or financial struggles in the last few years, you should reach out to Age UK York’s dedicated helpline on 01904 634061 or York Neighbours on 01904891627.
If a resident needs help with the York Financial Assistance Scheme application, they can call the council on 0808 168 5238 for free support.
Add a comment