Labour takes on winter fuel payments – and criticism
In a bid to help plug the financial gap left by the Conservatives and help balance the books, Labour has proposed to cut the winter fuel allowance.
Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced a “means test” for the payments, so that only those on pension credit would qualify. Reeves insists that the government remains committed to supporting pensions, citing the triple lock as a key example of these efforts.
The announcement was met with fierce criticism, as analysis has revealed that around 130,000 people will lose the allowance based on the means testing as they are over the threshold for receiving pension credit. It is estimated that around 1.3 million homes across England and Wales will continue to remain eligible for support. However, many pensioners are also set to lose their household support fund grant if the government fails to renew its billion pound welfare crisis fund.
Campaigners have also estimated that about 850,000 pensioners are not claiming pension credit in the UK despite being eligible, but the government estimates this figure is closer to 880,000.
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