Winter Fuel payments to extend to pensioners on incomes of £35,000 or less
- In June 2025, the UK Government revealed that approximately nine million pensioners earning up to £35,000 annually in England and Wales will be eligible for winter fuel support during the upcoming season.
- The announcement followed a 2024-25 means-testing policy restricting payments mainly to pension credit claimants, which had sparked backlash from voters and Labour MPs after May's local elections.
- The payment will be up to £300 per household, paid automatically, with those earning above £35,000 recouped via tax, restoring help to most pensioners but maintaining targeted fairness.
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves described targeting payments as a tough but necessary decision due to the previous government's financial legacy and affirmed continuing means-testing to keep it fair.
- The U-turn adds a £1.25 billion cost to public finances, creating a funding gap the government must address through fiscal adjustments or growth, while aiming to ease pensioners’ cost-of-living pressures.
107 Articles
107 Articles
Ed Miliband says Reeves ‘deserves credit’ for winter fuel payment U-turn
Rachel Reeves “deserves credit” for her U-turn on winter fuel allowance, Ed Miliband has said while denying that it was wrong to make the initial cut. The Treasury announced on Monday that it would restore the allowance to all pensioners with an income of £35,000 or less a year, amid public outrage over cut that was the first act of the Labour government. Reeves had previously removed the benefit from all but the poorest pensioners – those on pe…
Martin Lewis issues urgent winter fuel payment warning after government U-turn
Martin Lewis has issued an urgent winter fuel payment warning after the government announced a major U-turn. In a decision which will cost the Treasury £1.25bn, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that all those who qualify for the state pension on incomes of £35,000 or less will now qualify for the winter fuel payment. The U-turn on winter fuel means that around nine million – or three-quarters – of all pensioners will get the payment. Around tw…
Reeves is playing fast and loose with public finances – just look at her own words
I will admit that a bulk of this column was written for me, quite handily by Labour’s own Treasury team. After yesterday’s politically ‘ginormous’ U-turn by Rachel Reeves on winter fuel payments – returning nine million OAPs to the benefit – I thought I would take a look back at some of the economic arguments used in the House of Commons by the Chancellor and her Treasury team to defend their policy, and create a political headache over the past…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 71% of the sources are Center
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage