Sir Keir Starmer has defended scrapping winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners, saying his government had to take “tough decisions to stabilise the economy”.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Conservative leader Rishi Sunak accused Sir Keir of choosing to fund “inflation-busting pay rises” for train drivers over support for vulnerable pensioners.
But the PM blamed the Tories for leaving a “£22bn black hole” in the public finances.
From this autumn, older people in England and Wales not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer get annual winter fuel payments, worth between £100 and £300.
The government is facing growing pressure from opposition parties to reverse the decision, with some Labour MPs also raising concerns about the impact on low-income pensioners.
Last month the government offered train drivers an above-inflation pay rise aimed at ending long-running strike action.
Mr Sunak told the House of Commons: “Government is about making choices, and the new prime minister has made a choice.
“[Sir Keir] has chosen to take the winter fuel allowance away from low-income pensioners and give that money to certain unionised workforces in inflation-busting pay rises.
“So can I just ask the prime minister, why did he choose train drivers over Britain’s vulnerable pensioners?”
In response, Sir Keir said: “This government was elected to clear up the mess left by the party opposite, to bring about the change that the country desperately needs. Our first job was to audit the books, and what we found was a £22bn black hole.”
He added: “So we’ve had to take tough decisions to stabilise the economy and repair the damage, including targeting winter fuel payments whilst protecting pensioners.”
Hitting back, Mr Sunak said the new government had inherited a growing economy, with inflation back at the target rate.
Sir Keir was also challenged over the decision by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey.
He raised the example of a carer called Norman, who had returned to work so he could afford to pay for the care of his wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
Sir Ed said this meant Norman was now just above the limit to be eligible for pension credit so was set to lose his winter fuel allowance.
He urged the PM to reverse the planned cut and asked what his advice was for struggling pensioners facing rising heating bills.
Sir Keir said he was “not pretending it’s not a difficult decision” but insisted the government was providing all the support it could for pensioners.
The PM highlighted the government’s campaign to encourage more people to claim pension credit, so those eligible also qualify for winter fuel payments.
Meanwhile, he said the government’s commitment to the triple lock – which ensures the state pension increases each year by the highest figure of 2.5%, inflation or average earnings – meant pensions were expected to rise by up to £1,000 over the next five years.
