Downing Street Rules Out U-Turn On Decision To Axe Winter Fuel Payments For 10 Million Pensioners
Downing Street has denied the government is planning to water down its decision to axe winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners.
The Guardian reported that No.10 aides were looking at how to lessen the impact of the deeply unpopular policy, which has been partly blamed for the drubbing Labour suffered at last week’s local elections.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last July that any pensioner with an income of more than £11,500 would no longer receive the annual payment to help with their energy bills.
According to The Guardian, ministers are examining ways in which that threshold could be increased so more pensioners continue to receive the benefit.
But Downing Street insiders have told HuffPost UK that there are unlikely to be any changes to the policy.
One No.10 source said: “There isn’t a review and I’d be amazed if we changed anything.”
A second Downing Street adviser said: “There is no review.”
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was “not aware” of any changes to the winter fuel payment policy.
He told BBC Breakfast: “I’m not going to insult your viewers and pretend winter fuel didn’t come up on the doorstep, of course it did, and I know that people aren’t happy about it.
“We did protect it for the poorest pensioners but there are a lot of people saying they are disagreeing with it regardless.”
He said there has been similar backlash over the hike to employers’ National Insurance contributions, the introduction of VAT on private school fees and changes to the non-dom tax status.
But he said “heavy-lifting at the Budget” was necessary to deliver the change Labour promised, boost the NHS and state school system.