The Prime Minister has been warned that impact of the means tested winter fuel payments could end up killing “3,850” pensioners this coming winter.
The Tory leaders told Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday the impact of Labour cutting the winter fuel payment “could cause” an increase in pensioners dying because they cannot afford their heating bills.
Rishi Sunak said that Labour’s very own research dating back to 2017 revealed that there could be almost 4,000 pensioners dying over the winter months by scrapping the much needed benefit.
Starmer said during PMQs that Sunak should “apologise for the £22 billion black hole” that they have been accused of leaving behind.
Starmer was urged by the outgoing leader of the Tory party to publish the impact assessment of the means tested winter payment for fuel.
Sunak told MPs in the House of Commons, 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?”
Starmer said, “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 that payments of state pension are higher and therefore there’s more money in the pockets of pensioners, not withstanding 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.”
Sunak responded with, “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.”
Starmer had outlined Labour’s justification over their decision which is thought to start from next week, “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). (Chairman) Richard Hughes is absolutely clear – the largest year-ahead overspend outside the pandemic.”
Starmer insists that the increase in pensions will “outstrip any losses of payment” due to the triple lock, this will rise from next April by £460.
Starmer added, “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.”
Sunak told Starmer, “He’s 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 (Rachel Reeves) just this morning, as MPs may not have been listening to her, his own Chancellor this morning admitted that she would prefer it if this policy didn’t even raise any money.”
