£300 Winter Fuel Payments could be SAVED for all with new vote looming

A union motion to condemn the cut from Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves could prove embarrassing for the PM at the party’s first gathering since taking power.

Unite is aiming to force a vote on £300 Winter Fuel Payments at the new Labour Party conference. A union motion to condemn the cut from Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves could prove embarrassing for the PM at the party’s first gathering since taking power.

Unite’s motion also calls for the end to chancellor Reeves’ fiscal rules, to allow more borrowing. Despite the vote being nonbinding, any significant show of dissent from unions and delegates "would cast a shadow", the Guardian newspaper has pointed out.

Unite will also call for a “just transition” from oil and gas to net zero. The motion says that “workers and communities voted for change – a better future, not just better management and not cuts to the winter fuel allowance” for pensioners.

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It adds: “We need a vision where pensioners are not the first to face a new wave of cuts and those that profited from decades of deregulation finally help to rebuild Britain.” It will call on the government to U-turn in the October budget, “reversing all cuts to the winter fuel allowance”.

A total of 52 Labour MPs did not vote on the winter fuel payment motion, but government sources said that all but 12 of these had been given prior permission to miss the vote. Speaking after the vote, Starmer’s deputy spokesperson said the change to the allowance was “not something that he or the chancellor wanted to do – it is necessary as part of our efforts to balance the books and address the £22bn black hole”.

The DWP said: “The government has followed its legal and statutory duties ahead of introducing these changes and will continue to do so.” A government spokesperson said: “While it is not routine to publish advice as part of the development of policy, we have published the equality analysis on winter fuel payment eligibility.

“Our focus is on ensuring that those who should be claiming this support are receiving it alongside the wider support for vulnerable households, including the warm homes discount, worth £150, and household support fund to help people with the cost of living and energy bills.

“Over a million pensioners will continue to receive the winter fuel payment and, through our commitment to protect the triple lock, those on the full new state pension will receive an extra £400 – twice the average winter fuel payment.”