Their unanimous decision was announced this morning, just nine days after they lodged a unanimously agreed proposal that the £560,000 needed to fund the winter fuel payment would come from applying a means test to the £85 Christmas bonus that pensioners get every year. The move to raid the bonus fund was criticised by the Senior Citizens’ Association, Age Concern and the politician whose amendment to the Strategic Plan set up the winter fuel allowance, Senator Ben Shenton. Following yesterday’s Council of Ministers meeting, Chief Minister Frank Walker said: ‘The original decision we took was totally consistent with two previous States decisions, but it became clear pretty quickly that generally speaking it was not acceptable, particularly given the improved financial situation.
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