Baroness Ros Altmann, who was Tory pensions minister from 2015 to 2016, said cash-strapped older people will be hit harder in the pocket as a result of the Government's decision.
Scrapping the winter fuel payment is worse than ditching the state pension triple lock, a former minister has warned.
A petition by Age UK calling for the winter fuel payment to be reinstated has attracted 100,000 signatures. Around 25,000 people have signed another petition calling on the Government to abandon the 'callous' plan. She told the i newspaper: 'Older citizens are already losing the extra cost of living payments they received last winter.
'What worries us the most is that we fear many will not be able to afford to stay adequately warm this winter as a result, potentially causing them enormous anxiety and distress, as well as undermining their physical health, especially if they are living with serious health conditions.' Baroness Altmann added: 'Although the Government says it will be protecting the triple lock, actually this move on its own is worse than just taking away the minimum 2.5 per cent guarantee of the triple lock, because it amounts to a 3 per cent cut in the basic state pension for the over 80s, and a 2..5 per cent cut for those who are on the new state pension.
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