Leading local MPs Marcus Jones and Dan Byles have taken the fight to support ex-Daw Mill miners to the Chancellor, George Osborne.

Following the demise of UK Coal and the closure of Daw Mill Colliery, former Daw Mill workers and Daw Mill pensioners who left the mining industry after 1994, were dealt a further blow at the loss of a concessionary coal allowance to heat their homes, which was a payment worth over £1000 a year.

The loss of the concessionary coal allowance has left many former Daw Mill workers facing fuel poverty. Recognising the devastating impact the closure of the colliery has had on the lives of many families across our area, the local MPs joined forces with a number of other Conservative MPs, who this week have met with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to lobby for the reinstatement of the concessionary coal allowance.

Commenting, Marcus said: “This is an issue of fairness and that is why we have taken this important case to the Chancellor.

“People who left the mining industry prior to 1994 are still receiving the concessionary coal allowance from Government, but those who retired after 1994 or who have been made redundant lost their right to concessionary coal when UK Coal was liquidated.

“The Chancellor took a keen interest in this issue and seemed to have a great deal of sympathy with our argument and is looking carefully at this to see what he can do to help.”

Adding, Dan Byles, the MP for North Warwickshire, said: “When it became obvious that Daw Mill was going to close, we recognised straight away that the loss of the coal allowance would potentially send many former Daw Mill workers and pensioners into fuel poverty.

“Given the pledge that Government made to coal miners who left the industry before 1994, we think there is a strong case to say that the Government should extend that support.”