Mark Harvey
n By Hajera Blagg
It’s been a long, hard winter for millions of retired workers who’ve had their Winter Fuel Allowance cut this year.
Last August, the Labour government announced it would be axing the previously universal entitlement, worth up to £300, for all but the poorest pensioners, which now include only those who are in receipt of pension credit or another means-tested benefit.
Unite has argued that this will exclude millions of people who earn just above the pension credit threshold but still struggle to afford their energy bills. It would condemn them to a dangerous winter, with elderly people cutting back on their heating just when they need it most.
Even for those eligible for pension credit, many will have missed out on the vital Winter Fuel Allowance – an estimated 850,000 people are failing to claim pension credit even though they’re entitled to it.
Now, Unite’s worst fears are coming to pass. A survey undertaken by Unite in January showed that over two-thirds of its retired members have had to turn their heating down this winter. A third of those surveyed also reported taking fewer baths or showers, and 16 per cent have cut back on hot meals due to the increased costs of trying to stay warm.
A strong majority – 63 per cent – said they felt cold more often, and nearly a fifth reported that the cut to Winter Fuel Allowance has resulted in illness or has exacerbated symptoms of an illness.
Retired construction workers are likely among those hardest hit by the cut.
Unite research from 2021 estimated that only 36 per cent of construction workers are enrolled in some form of pension plan. If the figures are similar for building workers who are now retired, that means more than 60 per cent do not have a pension aside from their state pension.
Unite identified key reasons why construction workers are forgoing putting money into a pension plan.
One significant concern is bogus self-employment, with roughly half of all building workers officially registered as self-employed and so are not eligible for the auto-enrolment scheme. The extensive use of umbrella companies in the sector means workers are required to pay both employers’ and employees’ pension contributions, making them unaffordable for many.
“The unions argued at the time that local authority pensions were covered by TUPE regulations, but the housing associations argued they couldn’t afford it. These superannuated pensions have been eroded over the years.”
Chronic health conditions, common among building workers, is yet another reason that retired members in the construction sector will particularly suffer from the Allowance cut. People with cardiovascular ill health or arthritis, for example, have greater heating needs.
Jimmy also noted poor mental health among construction workers.
“New figures show 7,000 construction workers took their own lives in the last decade – it’s astonishing,” he said. “If you’re a retired construction worker suffering from a chronic mental health condition, as so many of them are, it’ll be made even worse by the cold.”
19 unite buildingWORKER Spring 2025
The construction sector is also dominated by short-term work, with many workers believing it’s not worthwhile making contributions for a string of temporary jobs.
buildingWORKER spoke to Unite activist Jimmy Woods, a retired joiner and union officer, who worries about fellow retired building workers who may now be struggling.
“I’m lucky that I’ve got a decent pension from my years working for Liverpool City Council and for the union, but most building workers aren’t in that position,” he said.
Jimmy also highlighted that even for those workers who were employed by local authorities with good pensions, many lost out after council housing stock was transferred to housing associations.
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Indeed, a groundbreaking 2022 study found that people living in homes not suitably warm are over three times as likely to experience severe mental health distress if they were previously struggling with their mental health.
Jimmy said within the labour movement, there is a healthy diversity of opinion on how best to approach the Winter Fuel Allowance as a policy. Jimmy believes it should not be universal. Others believe it should.
Whatever the approach, Unite is united against the government’s current stance on the Winter Fuel Allowance and is urging a rethink through its Defend the Winter Fuel Payment campaign.
Unite has also organised protests up and down the country on the issue, galvanising its retired, industrial and community members like never before. Unite has now even taken the fight all the way to the High Court with a Judicial Review.
Meanwhile in Kent, Billy Spiers, former Unite EC member, is a retired JIB- approved electrician who’s worked since he was 15 and retired seven years ago.
“I was very disappointed when Labour cut the Winter Fuel Allowance. They could have easily recouped the money in other ways. There are so many huge multinational companies not paying their fair share of tax, for example.
“It’s tough for retired construction workers especially because so many have had periods of unemployment and so some won’t get the full state pension.
“I fell afoul of blacklisting, so I had periods of being out of a job. Winters can be especially hard on retired construction workers – years of hard, physical labour means winters take a harder toll on our bodies than say, office workers.
“It’s inconsiderate and inconceivable that a socialist party is cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance. Labour needs to remember who put them in power. I know Starmer keeps saying ‘Judge us in five years.’ Well that’s’ not helping pensioners who are suffering right now.”
Back to Jimmy – who praised Unite’s campaigning efforts.
“It’s in the DNA of trade unions to be at the forefront, fighting against injustice,” he said. “Unite’s campaign is a continuation of that proud tradition.”
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