Cutting the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners last July was not a “mistake”, Ed Miliband has insisted, despite the government now having set out the details of its U-turn on the policy.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday morning, Miliband was asked repeatedly about chancellor Rachel Reeves’ decision to change the threshold for the payment in response to a public backlash.
Under measures unveiled on Monday, all pensioners with incomes up to and including £35,000 will now benefit from support, as well as those on pension, credit and other income-related benefits.
While the payment will still not be paid to all pensioners as in previous years, it will be extended to over three quarters or 9 million pensioners. The government has said the change ensures that “the means-testing of winter fuel payments has no effect on pensioner poverty.”
Ministers have not yet set out how they intend to pay for raising the threshold, insisting an announcement will follow at the next fiscal event.
Miliband, the energy security and net zero secretary, credited the chancellor for the move, saying she had listened to the “strength of feeling that people have had on this” and that the adjustment “can be accommodated within our overall fiscal figures.”
The cabinet minister added: “On the winter fuel payment, the principal question was do the richest in our society, should they get the winter fuel payment? Should millionaires, should the richest get the winter fuel payment? I think the answer for most people to that is no.”
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Despite the U-turn, Miliband staunchly defended the government’s initial decision to cut the benefit.
Asked if the move to cut the winter fuel payment last July was a “mistake”, Miliband replied: “No.”
The energy secretary argued the cut was one of a series of necessary actions taken by the chancellor to restore confidence after inheriting a fiscal crisis.
Miliband added: “Just put yourself in the shoes of the chancellor. She came into office confronted by a whole series of spending commitments that the last government had made, which they had no idea how they were paying for.
“And she was being told that you’ve got to take action to show that you’re going to stabilise the nation’s finances. She initially did winter fuel, then she did a whole series of other changes in the [autumn] budget and that’s the context for this.”
Miliband refused to comment on whether the government’s view of the nation’s improving finances meant other welfare reforms could also be reconsidered.
Asked if cuts affecting disabled people could be reversed, he responded: “Well, look, I’m not going to speculate on that. [Work and pensions secretary] Liz Kendall has set out a series of principled reforms.
“I think they’re the right reforms to the welfare system.”
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Bluesky here.
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