Keir Starmer accused of letting pensioners DIE at Christmas in PMQs row with Kemi Badenoch over Labour’s winter fuel payment axe_Nhy
Keir Starmer was warned that pensioners could die this Christmas after Labour took away their winter fuel payment.
In the final Prime Minister’s Questions before the festive break Tory leader Kemi Badenoch tore into him over the decision to make the £300 means-tested.
It came after it was revealed yesterday that just over half of pension credit claims – which would allow people to claim the money – processed in recent months were dismissed.
Ms Badenoch led off with a jibe at the PM over yesterday’s decision to block a claim for £10.5bn of compensation for Waspi women who missed out when the state pension was raised to 65 for both sexes.
The Conservative leader told the Commons on Wednesday: ‘We protected the triple lock during all our time in government, meanwhile, energy bills are increasing despite his promise to cut them by £300.
‘In Scotland, his party leader wants to restore the winter fuel payments, across England councils are scrambling together funds for struggling pensioners.
‘The tragic reality this Christmas is pensioners will suffer and may even die as a result of this cruel policy. Did the Chancellor consider the impact on councils and on the NHS, or does she just not know what she’s doing?’
Sir Keir replied: ‘We’re pushing up pension credit, but she now says they are committed to the triple lock, her shadow chancellor says they’re not, that it’s unsustainable, maybe over a sandwich or a steak they could sort it out and come back and tell us what their policy actually is.’
In the final Prime Minister’s Questions before the festive break Tory leader Kemi Badenoch tore into him over the decision to make the £300 means-tested.
Sir Keir replied: ‘The number one job of this Government was to put the finances back in order after the last government lost control. They left a £22 billion black hole and we had to take tough choices.
Between April and December 1 2024, 91,000 pension credit claims were awarded while 92,000 were not, according to data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The figures were obtained following a freedom of information (FOI) request by pension provider and financial adviser Quilter.
The figures also show that, from April 2023 to March 2024, a slightly higher number of claims were awarded (134,000) than those that were not (112,000).
In July, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the winter fuel allowance for pensioners would be limited to only those claiming pension credit or other means-tested benefits, as part of measures aimed at filling a ‘black hole’ in the public finances.
The number of pensioners in receipt of the payment is expected to fall by around 10 million, from 11.4 million to 1.5 million.
The figures were released ahead of a deadline of December 21 for making a backdated claim for pension credit to receive the winter fuel payment.
Sir Keir referred to Ms Badenoch’s previous 2017 comments criticising the winter fuel payments which he said showed her party’s ‘real commitment’ to pensioners.
Mrs Badneoch said: ‘The Prime Minister needs to misrepresent me to make his point. I don’t need to misrepresent him to make my point.
‘The truth is he didn’t think this through, cutting winter fuel payments isn’t just callous. It may not make savings, it could actually cost us all more and that’s not the only policy which is making things worse.
‘The Chancellor’s budget is a body blow to family, businesses and also charities. Marie Curie have warned that Labour’s budget will cost them nearly £3 million a year. This is a cancer charity, saying they have no option but to reduce services. Did the Chancellor tell the Prime Minister that her jobs tax was going to hit charities?’
Sir Keir replied: ‘She’s asked three questions about winter fuel leaving out that she’s changed her mind on this. She used to say that the payments were a dead weight. She said there are members of her constituency who did not need it, and they all stood in 2017 on a Tory manifesto that committed to getting rid of the universal winter payments for pensioners, so we can see what their real commitment is.
‘As for the Budget, we’re driving up productivity, prosperity and living standards. That’s a pay rise for the three million who are the lowest paid. They should welcome that, a pay rise for those working in the NHS and better than expected wage growth, just before Christmas. What unites all three? Delivered by Labour, opposed by the Tories.’
Earlier Health Secretary Wes Streeting had insisted pensioners will ‘still be better off this winter than they were last winter’.
Earlier Health Secretary Wes Streeting had insisted pensioners will ‘still be better off this winter than they were last winter’.
Appearing in front of MPs at a Health and Social Care Committee, Mr Streeting was asked about a 2017 Labour Party estimate that 4,000 people could die if the then government removed the winter fuel allowance.
He was asked if the Department of Health and Social Care has done any assessments on potential deaths following the Government’s announcement in July that the payment would be means-tested.
Mr Streeting replied: ‘Because of the choices that the Chancellor has made, particularly on protecting the state pension through the triple lock – even taking into account the decisions she’s taken on winter fuel allowance – pensioners will still be better off this winter than they were last winter, and will be better off next winter further still.
‘And of course, one of the reasons it gives me confidence to stand by that assertion is she has protected winter fuel allowance for the poorest pensioners and put in place financial support, which I think will make a real difference to people.’
When asked if he meant not a single pensioner will die because of the move, Mr Streeting replied: ‘I can stand by very strongly the sense that because the state pension is rising in the way that it is, and because of the decisions the Chancellor has taken to protect the poorest pensioners – I admit an unpopular decision with people who’ve lost a winter fuel allowance – but not one that will lead to that fatalistic outcome.’
In July, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the winter fuel allowance for pensioners would be limited to only those claiming pension credit or other means-tested benefits, as part of measures aimed at filling a ‘black hole’ in the public finances.
