Chief Secretary To Treasury Meets Labour MPs Over Winter Fuel Payment Concern

Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, met with Labour MPs to hear their concerns about the Government's decision to make scale back the Winter Fuel Payment.

On Monday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the Winter Fuel Payment, currently available to all pensioners, would be moving to a means-tested arrangement. As a result, only those claiming means tested benefits like pension credit will be eligible. 

Households receiving pension credit will receive the £200 payment, with £300 available to households within someone over the age of 80 and receiving pension credit. 

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Reeves said the decision was not one she "wanted" to make, but one that was needed to help plug a £22bn "black hole" which she accused the previous Tory government on inflicting on public finances.

PoliticsHome understands that Jones, who works under Reeves in the Treasury, met with dozens of Labour MPs on Tuesday morning, where he heard concerns about the impact the changes could have on pensioners living in fuel poverty.

It is currently estimated around 900,000 pensioners on low incomes who are eligible for pension credit currently do not claim it, and would therefore be facing losing their Winter Fuel Payment.

In a bid to reassure anxious Labour MPs, who reported emails from constituents about the cut, PoliticsHome understands the Government will launch a campaign to increase the take up of pension credit to ensure those on low incomes still receive Winter Fuel Payments.

It was also suggested that the deadline for claiming pension credit could be pushed further back in the year to ensure those affected by the decision have more time to apply for the support.

Senior researcher at the New Economics