Around 30,000 pensioners in Dumfries and Galloway are to have their winter fuel payments cut this year
The winter fuel payments were worth up to ÂŁ300.
Pensioners in Dumfries and Galloway are expected to struggle more this winter after their fuel payments have been slashed.
The region is one of the worst impacted areas in the country with almost 16,500 elderly people affected in Dumfriesshire and around 15,000 in Galloway and West Dumfries.
MSP Finlay Carson says those with poorly insulated homes will take the hit directly without the ÂŁ300.
“Dumfries and Galloway have one of the highest numbers of people affected in this country.
“The situation is made worse with many properties off the grid while others are poorly insulated as a direct result of their traditional construction.
“Make no mistake Labour’s decision represents a total betrayal of pensioners in my constituency.”
'Forced to pick heating or eating'
Labour says the move is to help fill a ÂŁ22 billion "black hole" in the public finances.
The Conservative MSP fears this decision could have a devasting impact on the lives of thousands of pensioners.
“These payments were a lifeline for many of them and this is completely the wrong choice by Labour.
“There is no doubt that we will see some old people deciding not to turn their heating on during the winter because they’re worried about their finances and others deciding to make the decision between eating and heating and when you retire, that’s the last thing you should be worrying about.”
More than 85% of pensioners in Scotland are expected to be affected by the slash of winter fuel payments.
A Pension Age Winter Hearing Payment was to replace the winter fuel payments, but the Scottish Government has deferred this until winter 2025-26.