Starmer ‘covering up’ estimate of pensioner deaths after winter fuel payments cut
Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of covering up an official estimate that could reveal how many pensioners might die after winter fuel payments were cut.
The Prime Minister came under fire in the Commons for failing to publish an impact assessment of the policy, amid claims that nearly 4,000 pensioners could die after being denied the allowance.
He was challenged by Rishi Sunak, his predecessor, to say whether the numbers were higher or lower than the 3,850 deaths Labour had previously forecast as a result of the policy.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Sunak said: “We know why he’s hiding the impact assessment. The Labour Party’s own previous analysis claimed that this policy could cause 3,850 deaths. So are the numbers in his impact assessment higher or lower than that?”
Sir Keir replied: “We’re taking this decision to stabilise the economy. That means we can commit to the triple lock. By committing to the triple lock we can make sure payments of state pension are higher and therefore there’s more money in the pockets of pensioners, notwithstanding the tough action we need to take.
“But he goes around pretending that everything is fine. That’s the argument he tried in the election, and that’s why he’s sitting there and we are sitting here.”
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.
The changes are expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the payment – of up to £300 – from 11.4 million to 1.5 million, saving more than £1 billion this year.
Although a Tory attempt to annul the regulations provoked a Labour backbench rebellion, the measures are expected to come into force next week.
Impact assessments of policies are routinely published by the Government, and ministers have previously suggested one for winter fuel payments would be made public “in due course”.
However, outside the Commons chamber, Downing Street declined to comment on whether the Government would publish any assessment of the policy’s impact.
Labour denied the Government had broken its promise to be transparent, and the Prime Minister’s press secretary said: “The Government operated with openness and transparency.”
Mr Sunak told MPs: “Today, pensioners watching will have seen that the Prime Minister has repeatedly refused to admit or publish the consequences of his decision, and we will continue holding him to account for that.”
Sir Keir defended the decision, saying: “The fact of the matter is this – they left a £22 billion black hole and they hid it from the OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility]. Richard Hughes [its chairman] is absolutely clear – the largest year-ahead overspend outside the pandemic.”
He said that, as a result of the triple lock, increases in pensions “will outstrip any loss of payment”. The triple lock guarantees that the state pension will rise by inflation, average wage growth or 2.5 per cent.
The full state pension is set to rise by £460 from next April, according to official wage figures released this week, although the real-terms increase after taking into account the impact of inflation is only £210.
Sir Keir said: “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.”
Mr Sunak defended his record in government, arguing that he “delivered record increases in the state pension”, protected the winter fuel payment and gave pensioners cost of living benefits.
He said: “He [Sir Keir] is the one that’s taking money away from pensioners on £13,000, but this has got nothing to do with the public finances. His own Chancellor, just this morning, admitted that she would prefer it if this policy didn’t even raise any money.”