NEA believes that the Winter Fuel Payment must be extended to include many other vulnerable low-income households including those with children under five, or members who are disabled or chronically ill. If the Government extended the Winter Fuel Payment to include these vulnerable groups who are on the lowest level of financial support from the state, ie receive the ‘safety net’ benefits of Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, it would cost an estimated £300 million per year. NEA believes this would greatly assist some of the most disadvantaged families in the country at a modest additional cost.
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