Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced the end of universal winter fuel payments previously provided to all pensioners.
Individuals born before 25th September 1957, could receive between £250 and £600 to help pay heating bills.
This assistance, known as a “Winter Fuel Payment,” includes a “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” ranging from £150 to £300.
In a statement in the House of Commons earlier today, Ms Reeves clarified that starting this year, only those pensioners who receive pension credits or other means-tested benefits will be eligible for winter fuel payments.
“Let me be clear, this is not a decision I wanted to make,” she said, emphasising the difficulty of the decision.
Reeves described the move as “the responsible thing to do,” suggesting it was necessary in the current economic climate.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that the new government is facing a projected £22 billion budget deficit inherited from the previous Conservative administration.
The Conservative Party has criticised the new government, labelling their claims “nonsense.”
Shadow Chancellor Jeremy Hunt argued that the state of the public finances was already understood and suggested that the new administration’s actions are setting the stage for increased taxes.
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