Stuart Anderson MP has said that Sir Keir Starmer should "apologise for betraying pensioners", after the Prime Minister was forced into an embarrassing climbdown on winter fuel payments which removed "vital support" from millions of pensioners.
Stuart launched his campaign to reinstate winter energy support, after the government "cruelly" withdrew the payments from pensioners who are not entitled to means-tested benefits like Pension Credit last year.
According to the government's own statistics, the restrictions plunged 50,000 pensioners into relative poverty. At the same time, an extra 100,000 pensioners went to A&E last winter.
A survey conducted by Stuart between September 2024 and January 2025 received 136 responses and found that nine in ten people opposed the cuts - with almost two-thirds of those having received the payments.
Following fierce opposition, the Prime Minister announced the climbdown on 21st May. He said "We want to ensure that as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments."
In May, Stuart raised concerns that details would not be announced until the Chancellor delivered her Autumn Budget later in the year. So, he urged the Chancellor to "take swift action to ensure access is restored before winter arrives."
In a statement setting out the changes on 9th June 2025, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that she has "acted to expand the eligibility of the Winter Fuel Payment so no pensioner on a lower income will miss out."
The climbdown restores access to vital energy support for nine million pensioners. It means that everyone in England and Wales who reached the State Pension Age by 21st September 2025 and has an annual income of £35,000 (or below) will benefit from the payments.
The payment will equate to £200 per household or £300 per household in which there is someone over the age of 80. The government has said that no pensioner will need to take any action, as they will automatically receive the payment this winter.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"The government's cruel decision to restrict access to winter fuel payments plunged thousands of pensioners into poverty and led to a spike in hospital admissions last winter. When the climbdown was announced in May, I called for swift action to ensure access is restored before winter arrives. Now these details have been set out, the Prime Minister and his Chancellor should apologise for betraying pensioners who lost out on vital energy support last winter when their access was unjustly restricted."
