The Winter Fuel Allowance.

There as been much speculation in recent days about government plans to restrict the winter fuel allowance because of  spending cuts and there need to fund the reform of the welfare state. Many of the cuts we have seen since the government have come to power have been vicious and callous but this would be the most vicious and callous of them all.
Many old people struggle even with the allowance to pay their energy bills during the winter months. Many because they are frightened of not being able to pay spend there time when indoors with there coats on or in the one room they can afford to heat. Some turn there heating down or off because of their fear of not being able to pay their bills and end up in hospital or even dead because of it.Any cutback in the allowance will make this situation worse and will result in lose of life.
Personally I think there is a need and a good case to extend the allowance not cut it back. I think many people who are on benefits because they have long term medical conditions should also receive the allowance.Those for instance with long term lung problems are advised to keep there homes above a certain temperature to stop their condition worsening  suffer great hardship trying to do this in the cold winter months.
A government should be judged not on balencing the books or how it treats the well off in society but how it treats the needy and the vunerable.This government have shown time and time again that they deserve to be judged badly because of the way they are treating the vunerable in our society and targeting them for cuts!

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