The UK Prime Minister has defended the decision to cut winter fuel payments to millions of pensioners, stating that it “makes sense” to redirect funds to areas such as the NHS and schools. In a series of interviews with BBC local radio stations at Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer was questioned on the move and accused of “picking a fight” with pensioners. However, he emphasised that the winter fuel payments would still be available to the pensioners who needed it most, but that many were “relatively wealthy” and did not require the additional financial support.
The cut in winter fuel payments was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in July, with the objective of saving £1.5bn annually. The payments, which can be worth up to £300, will now only be available to those claiming pension credit. The Prime Minister urged eligible individuals to apply for pension credit in order to continue receiving the payment. The cut in winter fuel payments has prompted concerns that more pensioners will fall below the poverty line and that some may even die as a result.
The Prime Minister also addressed concerns surrounding changes to inheritance tax, rising energy bills, and the increase in migrants arriving from across the English Channel. In particular, thousands of farmers gathered in central London to protest against the new Budget measures, which include the imposition of inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1m and the speeding up of the phase-out of EU-era subsidies in favour of nature-friendly farming payments. The Prime Minister reiterated that the vast majority of farms would be “completely unaffected” by the changes.
Sir Keir denied allegations that he was “on the side of farmers or small business owners, or ‘for keeping millions of pensioners warm'”. Instead, he argued that his focus was on helping working people who needed to be better off and those who relied on the NHS. He highlighted that budgeting was “really, really difficult” due to the previous government’s financial decisions, including hidden debts of £22bn. He emphasised that the government’s priority was to pick up the NHS and public services that had been compromised and ensure delivery on those fronts
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