Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has accused Labour of “hoodwinking” its MPs into voting for winter fuel allowance cuts after government modelling revealed 100,000 pensioners could be pushed into poverty.
Speaking to GB News, Philp called the situation “terrible” and claimed Labour deliberately concealed the Department for Work and Pensions impact assessment during the recent parliamentary vote.
“When we voted on this a few weeks ago, they deliberately did not publish that impact assessment. They hid it from Parliament and hid it from their own MPs,” Philp said.
He warned the situation was becoming a “triple whammy” for pensioners, citing rising inflation alongside the benefits cut.
Chris Philp lashed out at the Labour government
GB NEWS
The DWP modelling shows that restricting the winter fuel payment will lead to an estimated 50,000 more pensioners falling into relative poverty after housing costs next year.
This figure is projected to rise to 100,000 additional pensioners in poverty by 2026-27.
Chris Philp joined Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster on GB News
GB NEWS
The winter fuel payment, worth up to £300, is being limited to only those claiming pension credit from this winter, aiming to save £1.5 billion annually.
The government’s analysis indicates similar patterns through to 2030, with the number of additional pensioners in poverty fluctuating between 50,000 and 100,000 each year.
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The figures are rounded to the nearest 50,000 individuals due to modelling uncertainties.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall defended the policy, stating the government was “forced to take difficult decisions to balance the books” due to a £22bn financial deficit.
Protests against Winter Fuel PaymentsPA
She emphasised that the modelling doesn’t account for measures to increase pension credit take-up, which has risen by 152 per cent since July.
A government spokesperson highlighted additional support measures, including the £150 warm home discount and cold weather payments.
They added that millions of pensioners will benefit from a state pension increase of up to £470 in April.
The modelling figures “should be taken into account when interpreting the results,” Kendall cautioned in her letter to MPs.
Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure about the measure
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The winter fuel payment changes mark a significant shift from the previous universal system that provided payments to all pensioners.
The Scottish Labour Party has notably broken ranks with the UK-wide party position, announcing it would campaign for full winter fuel payments in its 2026 Holyrood campaign.
Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper criticised the cuts, saying: “Cutting this allowance will drive more vulnerable older people into poverty, forcing them to choose between heating and eating.”
Currently, only 63 per cent of those eligible claim pension credit, meaning many poorer pensioners could miss out on the payment.
