Winter fuel cuts will affect 600,000 disabled OAPs

Sir Keir Starmer's winter fuel cuts will hit around 600,000 disabled pensioners, the government's analysis of the policy found.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

The prime minister's decision to restrict the payment to those earning £35,000 or less will see more than two million pensioners miss out on the allowance, worth up to £300. Of those, more than a quarter are disabled and will be forced to hand back the £300 payment through the tax system.

The analysis comes despite the government’s U-turn on its original decision to strip winter fuel payments from millions more pensioners, with the cuts now restricted to those earning more than £35,000.

Critics said the threshold is too low, particularly for disabled pensioners who will be hit by the change.

Dennis Reed, of over-60s campaign group Silver Voices, told