HEATED DEBATE

ALMOST 10 million pensioners who struggled through the winter after losing their £300 fuel payment have a glimmer of hope following Keir Starmer's U-turn.

- BY ASHLEY COWBURN Deputy Political Editor and SOPHIE HUSKISSON Political Correspondent

But they may have to wait until the Budget in October to find out if they qualify under the new rules, which are yet to be hammered out.

Labour cut the £300 benefit from all but the very poorest pensioners just weeks after the party's election victory last summer, claiming it was necessary to fix the financial mess they had inherited from the Tories.

At PMQs yesterday, Mr Starmer said: "We had to stabilise the economy with tough decisions but the right decisions. Because of those decisions it is beginning to improve.

"I recognise people are still feeling the pressure of the cost of living crisis, including pensioners, and as the economy improves we want to make sure people feel those improvements.

"That is why we want to ensure as we go forward more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments.

"We will only make sure we make decisions we can afford. That is why we will look at that as part of a fiscal event."

Less than a fortnight ago, No10 had ruled out a change in the policy despite a bruising at the local elections and defeat to Reform UK at a key by-election.

But on Monday Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who announced the cut last year, said she was "listening" to concerns.

Finding a mechanism to widen eligibility will cause headaches in Whitehall after the decision to link the payment to the pension credit threshold of £11,500.

Details are expected to be hammered out ahead of the autumn Budget. But Gordon Brown, a former Labour Chancellor and PM, said he did not believe it would take that long.