A Tory MP has accused Labour of being dishonest with Britons over their plans for pensioners this winter following the “disgraceful” scrapping of winter fuel payments.

Keir Starmer refused to rule out scrapping pensioners’ council tax discounts (Image: Getty/Parliament)

Sir Keir Starmer refused to rule out scrapping pensioners’ council tax discounts or scrapping concessionary travel fares for pensioners at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday when probed by Louie French MP.

In a TV interview today, the Tory backbencher said: “Yet again, the Prime Minister refused to answer the question staright and openly with the British public.”

Estimates suggested around 8.4 million people benefit from a reduction in their council tax – half of whom are pensioners.

Mr French added: “Those are people who are perhaps divorced, widowed or just alone. This is a hit that could easily hit many pensioners on top of this disgraceful winter fuel payment decision. It’s up to £500 that they would lose.

“This is a huge amount of money for most people across the country.

“Labour are not being honest with the British public about what they’re planning to do this winter.”

Sir Keir was also accused of “hiding” the impact of the Government’s winter fuel payment cuts amid fears the policy will cause an increase in pensioner deaths.

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak highlighted Labour research from 2017 which claimed Conservative plans to scrap the winter fuel payment for better-off pensioners could lead to almost 4,000 additional deaths over winter.

Sir Keir also used Prime Minister’s Questions to urge Mr Sunak to “apologise for the £22 billion black hole” that Labour argues was left by the previous Tory administration.

People in England and Wales not in receipt of Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits will lose out under the Government’s changes to winter fuel payments.

It is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the up to £300 payment by 10 million, from 11.4 million to 1.5 million, saving more than £1 billion this year.

The Prime Minister said increases in pensions “will outstrip any loss of payment” as a result of the triple lock, which guarantees the state pension will rise by inflation, average wage growth or 2.5%.

The full state pension is set to rise by £460 from next April, according to official wage figures released this week.

Sir Keir said mitigation measures include trying to increase uptake of Pension Credit, adding: “Because of the tough decisions that we’re making to stabilise the economy, we can make sure that the triple lock shows that increases in pensions will outstrip any loss of payment.

“But before he complains about us clearing up his mess, perhaps he’d like to apologise for the £22 billion black hole.”