Chancellor Rachel Reeves will not confirm whether the Government will U-turn on its decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments until autumn, a Government minister has confirmed.
Labour Science Secretary Peter Kyle has poured cold water on hopes that an announcement regarding the up to £300 in energy bill support will be made in next week's Spending Review.
Speaking to Sky News, Kyle shared: "These issues are going to be dealt with in the run-up to the autumn [Budget] where these decisions are going to be taken and announced."
Last year, the Chancellor confirmed that the previously universal Winter Fuel Payment would now be means-tested with older households needing to be in receipt of Pension Credit in order to claim.
Labour has hinted a Winter Fuel Decision decison is being postponed until Autumn
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Pension Credit is a top-up benefit payment reserved for Britons of state pension age who are on low income, which is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The DWP launched a campaign to encourage uptake of the benefit amid widespread backlash to Labour's decision with reports suggest a partial reversal of the decision is on the cards.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously hinted ministers are looking to expand the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Allowance by tweaking rules linked to Pension Credit.
While being interviewed by Trevor Phillips, Kyle noted that June 11's Spending Review is not a Budget announcement, which means specific policy changes are unlikey to be featured.
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Protests against Winter Fuel PaymentsPAThe Labour minister added: "But this is a spending review that’s going to set the overall spending constraints for government for the next period… for the next three years.
"So you’re sort of talking about two separate issues at the moment. I think what you’re going to see is the overall spending constraints and allowances for each Government department, and then each department’s then going to start talking about how it’s going to allocate those."
Yesterday (June 7), MPs, charities and unions took part in an anti-austerity march on Westminster in protest against the Labour Government's benefit system reforms, including the changes to Winter Fuel Payments.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham is among the voices calling on minsters demanding ministers fully reinstate Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners, without strings attached
The union boss explained "The Winter Fuel Payment cut was a massive mistake. The Government needs to learn that when you are in a hole, you should stop digging.
"You can’t leave pensioners in limbo while you work out plans for taxing the families of the deceased - just reverse the cut now. “We are the sixth richest economy in the world, and we need to stop picking the pockets of pensioners and bring in a wealth tax."
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Energy bills are expected to rise this winter GETTY According to the End Fuel Poverty coalition, there are three tests that should be considered to determine the nature of any future changes to the Winter Fuel Payments.
These include: how are Pension Credit thresholds going to change, how will the "cliff edge" taper of the threshold be averted and who will be targeted by any partial U-turn on means-testing.
Simon Francis, the coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, shared :"Any u-turn is welcome, but what matters now is the detail, especially if Winter Fuel Payments are not restored to all pensioners.
"There are three tests we will apply to any announcement based on thresholds, tapers and wider targeting to see if ministers are getting the message."
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