Millions of pensioners in the UK will lose winter fuel payments from this autumn, according to Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the UK’s Labour Party. The payments are currently worth between £100 and £300 and are given annually to older people in England and Wales not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits. Opposition parties are calling on the government to reverse the decision, with some Labour MPs warning about the impact on low-income pensioners. Conservative leader Rishi Sunak has criticised Sir Keir, claiming the Government is giving train drivers “inflation-busting pay rises” rather than supporting pensioners.
Sir Keir defended the cuts, stating that “tough decisions” had been made to stabilise the UK’s economy. He explained that the Conservative Party had left a “£22bn black hole” in the finances, leaving the new government to audit the books and repair the damage. Sunak responded by stating that the current administration had inherited a growing economy and suggested that the Labour Party should take responsibility for prioritising train drivers over pensioners.
Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, challenged Sir Keir over the decision, using the example of a carer called Norman who is set to lose his winter fuel allowance due to a small increase in income after returning to work. Sir Keir acknowledged that the decision was difficult but reiterated that the government was “providing all the support it could for pensioners.” The UK government has encouraged more people to claim pension credit, which leads to eligibility for winter fuel payments.
Although the Labour Party has a large majority in the UK’s Parliament, there have been concerns raised about the impact of the policy on pensioners who are just above the threshold for claiming pension credit. Eight Labour MPs have backed a motion calling for the cut to be postponed until a comprehensive strategy for tackling fuel poverty, health inequality, and low incomes among older people is established. This follows the decision to suspend five independent MPs from the parliamentary Labour Party in July after they voted against the government’s two-child benefit cap
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