Rachel Reeves blasted over ‘failure to assess risks’ of disastrous winter fuel payment cut

Rachel Reeves has been attacked following the decision to cut winter fuel payments, with experts arguing she carried out “no impact assessment” before making the decision.

According to the Telegraph, a Department of Work and Pensions legal note accompanying upcoming changes read: “A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, public or voluntary sectors is foreseen.”

Despite the admission, the statement was published before Parliament on Thursday, and was signed by the Labour pensions minister Emma Reynolds.

In July the Chancellor announced that pensioners who don't get pension credit or similar means-tested benefits will no longer be be able to claim annual winter fuel payments of between £100 and £300. Around 10 million Brits will be affected.

Experts have warned that the move will see pensioners suffer a brutally sharp uptick in energy prices this winter.

According to The Telegraph, Baroness Ros Altmann, a Tory peer and pensions expert, said: “Not only would something like this normally need a full impact assessment, it should go to the Social Security Advisory Committee, and they’ve completely bypassed that too.

"There was no warning for this – it wasn’t in their manifesto."

Pensioners themselves have raged against the plans. One military veteran told GB News: "It's going to hit me just the same as it will hit everybody else. I'm not on benefits, I am a pensioner. I have an Army pension because I did 22 years in the army, so I can't claim benefits."

Meanwhile, Caroline Abrahams, Director of Age UK, argued the reduction in winter fuel payments is "reckless and wrong", particularly in the context of the announcement from Ofgem that the energy price cap is going up.

A government spokesman said: “This is incorrect. We are absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. That’s why through our commitment to protect the triple lock, over 12 million pensioners will see their state pensions increase by almost a thousand pounds over the next five years.

“But given the dire state of the public finances we have inherited, it’s right that we target support to those who need it most while we take the difficult decisions needed to fix the foundations of our economy.

“Over a million pensioners will continue to receive the winter fuel payment and eligible pensioners will also be able to benefit from the £150 warm home discount scheme from October to help with their energy bills over winter.

“We are urging pensioners to come forward and check their eligibility for pension credit to ensure as many people in need as possible have access to this support.”