Keir Starmer announces winter fuel payment U-turn

Keir Starmer has confirmed that the government will change the winter fuel payment threshold following backlash over how it would affect pensioners.

Many Labour MPs believe the decision to restrict the payments last year has played a big part in the party's sharp fall in popularity since its general election victory in July.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Labour MP Sarah Owen asked Keir Starmer what measures the government will take to help pensioners. 

The prime minister acknowledged the financial pressure on pensioners and said he would consider changing the threshold so that more are eligible.

He said: "As the economy improves, we want to make sure people feel those improvements in their days as their lives go forward, and that is why we want to ensure that… more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payment".

Starmer added: "As the economy improves, we want to take measures that will impact on people's lives, and therefore, we will look at the threshold, but that will have to be part of a fiscal event."

The PM's reference to a fiscal event suggests the change will come in the Autumn Budget.

The winter fuel payment is a cash payment of £200 a year for pensioners under 80 and £300 for those over-80s. 

Earlier this year, the government announced that it would restrict the benefit to those who qualify for pension credit, which it said would save more than £1bn.

However, many Labour MPs have complained that the planned cut went too far and warned the government that it had triggered a strong negative reaction from voters, particularly in the run-up to the local elections earlier this month.

Polling has also found strong public opposition to the original decision.

“Pensioners already suffering under this government’s spiralling inflation will want to see the detail of this latest screeching U-turn as soon as possible," a Conservative party spokesperson said in response to the PM's statement.

Reacting to the news, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: "The Labour Party robbed pensioners of their winter fuel payments and only a full and immediate U-turn will do. With energy bills and the cost of living soaring on Keir Starmer's watch, pensioners need support now - not vague promises of an unspecified, partial climbdown months down the line.

"Having finally admitted he was wrong, Keir Starmer must fully reverse the Labour Party's cuts to the winter fuel payment - and abandon its plans to impose even more austerity cuts to disabled people and public services at the spending review.

"Voters have lost trust in the Labour Party, which has broken the promises it made at the election. Keir Starmer is scraping around in desperation to recover the ground he has lost but the damage is already done. Trust in his government is broken."