Rachel Reeves scrambles to ease winter fuel backlash insisting she ‘didn’t want’ to cut the handout for pensioners and urging more to sign up for low-income benefit

Rachel Reeves is scrambling to ease the growing backlash over slashing winter fuel payments insisting she did not ‘want’ to cut the handouts.

The Chancellor claimed the government had no choice about axing the payments for millions as she urged those on low incomes to sign up for pension credit.

The benefit is worth up to £3,900 a year on average, but estimates suggest up to 880,000 people are currently missing out.

Anyone in receipt of pension credit will retain the right to a winter fuel payment.

The campaign comes with Ms Reeves facing anger from many Labour MPs over her decision to cut winter fuel payments from about 10million pensioners to help deal with a £22 billion ‘black hole’ allegedly left by the Tories.

Charity Age UK has written to the Chancellor pleading for an alternative policy to stop around two million hard-up pensioners being deprived of the handouts. 

Ms Reeves facing anger from many Labour MPs over her decision to cut winter fuel payments from about 10 million pensioners to help deal with an £22 billion ‘black hole’ allegedly left by the Tories (Stock image)

Ms Reeves stood by her earlier decision to restrict the payments but urged pensioners and their families to check their right to pension credit.

She said: ‘The £22 billion blackhole inherited from the previous governments means we are having to take tough decisions now to fix the foundations of our economy – including making the Winter Fuel Payments available to those most at need.

‘1.3million pensioners are already going to get help with fuel bills this year because they’re claiming pension credit – but thousands more are eligible.’

Writing in the Observer, Ms Reeves claimed that she was ‘protecting the most vulnerable pensioners’ by means testing the winter fuel payment.

‘I know these are tough choices, especially on winter fuel,’ she acknowledged. ‘They were not the choices I wanted to make or expected to make, but they were the right choices to put our country on a firmer footing.’ 

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: ‘Thousands of pensioners are missing out on pension credit worth on average £3,900 per year.

‘That needs to change. It’s easier than ever to check if you are eligible, including with our online calculator, and if your circumstances have changed since the last time you looked – I urge you to check again.

‘Friends, families and neighbours can also encourage their loved ones to apply, so that they are not missing out on this vital benefit.’

The DWP added that pensioners whose weekly income was below £218.15 for a single person or £332.95 for a couple should check to see if they are eligible for the credit worth £3,900 a year on average, using the DWP’s online calculator.

People with a severe disability, carers and those who are responsible for a child or young person who lives with them could get more.