Keir Starmer faces court battle with union over winter fuel allowance

Keir Starmer is facing a court battle with a major union over claims the winter fuel allowance axe was illegal.

Unite, which donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to Labour candidates at the election, has declared it will go ahead with a judicial review of the controversial policy.

General secretary Sharon Graham said the decision to 'pick the pockets of pensioners was wrong on every level'.  

Around 10million pensioners will no longer receive the benefit - worth up to £300 - this winter after the Government restricted it to those on pension credit in a bid to save money.

Ministers insisted the move was necessary to help fill a £22 billion 'black hole' they claim the previous government left in this year's spending plans.

But Whitehall estimates have suggested that 100,000 extra pensioners will be pushed into poverty as a result.   

The union has accused the Government of breaching its legal duties by not referring the cut to the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) and by failing to consider the impact on disabled people, among other grounds.

Ministers are not required to refer regulations on benefits to the SSAC if they are a matter of 'urgency', something the Government relied on when implementing the winter fuel cut.

The Government also conducted an 'equalities analysis', which was released under the Freedom of Information Act, but has been criticised for not carrying out a full impact assessment of the policy.

Unite says it is acting on behalf retired members who are struggling to get by. 

The union made a formal application to the High Court for leave to go forward with a full Judicial Review last week. 

But Ms Graham said: 'Labour's decision to pick the pocket of pensioners was wrong on every level. The government has been given every opportunity to reverse its decision and it has failed to do so.

'This is a rushed, ill-thought out policy and the government clearly failed to follow the proper legal measures before executing it. With winter approaching the courts must now hold the government to account and reverse this cruel cut as quickly as possible.'

Unite previously donated millions of pounds to Labour, but has scaled back its funding more recently as it criticised Sir Keir's leadership.