Pensioner's fears of freezing this winter raised at Prime Minister's Questions
Last updated 11th Nov 2026
A Borders pensioner's struggles to keep warm this winter have been raised at Prime Minister's Questions today.
Local Conservative MP John Lamont told Labour leader Andy Burnham a constituent from Cockburnspath fears she'll be left sitting at home freezing because she cannot afford to heat her home.
He said the price of heating oil has doubled in the past year, with more than 9,000 households across the Scottish Borders relying on it to keep warm.
“Many are vulnerable people, many are pensioners like Kate from Cockburnspath, who told me she will be sitting at home freezing this winter because she can’t afford to heat her home," Mr Lamont told MPs in the House of Commons.
“She says support from the Government does not go far enough to help her. So, Prime Minister, what more will you do to help people struggling to pay their heating bills because they are relying on heating oil this winter?”
In response, Mr Burnham said extra funding had been provided to local authorities to “help with precisely the situation his constituent is in”.
He also pointed to additional funding given to the Scottish Government through the Budget, which he said could be used to provide further support this winter.
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Mr Burnham said: "We have provided extra funding to local authorities to help with precisely the situation that his constituent is in.
"But we've also provided funding through the Barnett consequentials. We have given extra support to the devolved administrations in relation to the support we've provided in the Budget.
"There is extra help there that the Scottish Government can use alongside what we have already done, and we will make sure that everybody is supported this winter."
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