Prime Minister gives DWP Winter Fuel Payment update and makes Pension Credit plea

Steven Smith
·3-min read
Sir Keir Starmer
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


The Prime Minister has issued an update on the DWP Winter Fuel Payment as he urged people to check if they are eligible for Pension Credit. The Government's decision to make the payment means-tested has meant that millions of pensioners will no longer receive it.

Instead, only those on certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, will receive it. Speaking on Friday, Sir Keir Starmer said it "makes sense to make the change" to winter fuel payments when asked why he was "picking a fight with the pensioners".

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside as part of a round of interviews on local radio, the Prime Minister was asked about warnings of more pensioners going into poverty as a result of making the benefit means tested.

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Sir Keir said: "Without the change that we're putting in place at the moment, the allowance goes to everyone, whether they need it or not, and therefore there are many who don't need it because they're relatively wealthy.

"And I think most people would say that doesn't make sense when you've got a really, really difficult, tight budget - we've got to deliver for our NHS, for our schools, we've got to make sure that we've got public services that people can rely on, including, of course, pensioners. So it makes sense to make the change."

He said it was "important to protect pensioners who most need the allowance" and urged people who are eligible for pension credit to take it up.

Asked separately on BBC Radio WM about whether he would come to regret his decision to make changes to the winter fuel allowance, the Prime Minister said: "There are lots of decisions we had to make in the Budget which, to be perfectly honest, I'd have preferred not to have had to make. But when you inherit a broken economy, when you then find out there was £22 billion which doesn't appear on the books, and you'd need to balance the books, very, very difficult decisions have to be made."

He said that the Government is "making sure that those entitled to pension credit are protected through this", and added: "There are a number of people who are entitled to pension credit who aren't claiming it, and it's very important that (...) they take up that entitlement."

How to check if you're eligible for Pension Credit

The Government has urged those who do not receive Pension Credit and think they might be eligible to check. This can be done via the DWP website.

Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over State Pension age and on a low income. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.

You might get extra help if you’re a carer, severely disabled, or responsible for a child or young person. Pension Credit is separate from your State Pension. You can get Pension Credit even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.

If you get Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:

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