Labour's winter fuel payment policy will not fully reverse cuts for pensioners

Labour won't fully reverse its cut to winter fuel payments for pensioners, a senior Treasury minister has suggested. Darren Jones said the vital payments will be "targeted to those that need it the most".

But he insisted there shouldn't be a blanket benefit for all OAPs. Mr Jones said millionaires should not get "subsidy for their energy bills from the Government". His remarks come after Sir Keir Starmer said that he wants to restore the payments to more pensioners, following pressure from campaigners.

The Prime Minister claimed that the UK's improving economic prospects could allow for the move at the next fiscal event - most likely an Autumn Budget.

The partial U-turn came as ministers are continuing to face calls to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Speaking to Sky News, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Mr Jones was asked about Reform UK's commitments on both the winter fuel and benefit cap policies.

"All of those things cost money," Mr Jones said.

"It's right that we set out the detail and how we're going to pay for those in a proper and orderly way."

He added: "We're sticking to the principle that millionaires shouldn't be getting subsidy for their energy bills from the government, so winter fuel payments will still be targeted to those that need it the most."

Mr Jones also touched on the Government's approach to child poverty, telling the same programme that "we're a Labour government we want child poverty to be falling in this country, not rising".

"Of course, we want to help families lift themselves out of poverty."

Last summer, Rachel Reeves provoked widespread anger when she announced that the previously universal winter fuel payment would be means-tested.

The policy was blamed for the party's collapse in support since last year's general election, and campaigners were challenged about it on the doorsteps during May's local elections.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage confirmed earlier this week that his party would support scrapping the two-child benefit cap and also reverse the winter fuel payment cuts.

Kemi Badenoch has owed to keep fighting for pensioners after Sir Keir was pressured into the embarrassing U-turn.

The Conservative leader warned that millions of older people are still at risk of going cold and hungry this winter despite his partial climbdown.

Mrs Badenoch said "this fight isn't over" as she praised the Daily Express's campaign to reverse Labour's decision to strip almost 10million pensioners of the payments.

The Leader of the Opposition, who has repeatedly challenged Sir Keir over the cut, said: "This embarrassing U-turn is a direct result of pressure from the Conservative Party and the relentless campaigning of the Daily Express.

"Since becoming leader, I've challenged Keir Starmer week after week over his cruel decision to cut winter fuel payments - and my party has fought for pensioners left out in the cold by Labour.

"Now, under mounting pressure, Keir Starmer has finally buckled. It's taken him 10 months to realise it's simply unacceptable to force vulnerable pensioners to suffer, just so that he can hand out things like inflation-busting pay rises to the trade unions."