Winter fuel payment: Fears that cutting money will cost lives

The plight of Welsh pensioners was raised by Plaid Cymru’s Caerfyrddin MP, Ann Davies, during Prime Minister’s Questions, external when she highlighted the case of constituent, Janette Crawford, whom she said suffered with ME and chronic pain.

“The cold, damp conditions of a Welsh winter are going to mean a lot more muscle soreness and fatigue for her,” she said.

“She has lost her winter fuel payments due to having a very small savings pot.

“With 86% of pensioners in poverty, or just above that line, to miss out in Wales, will the prime minister establish a social energy tariff to help people like Janette?”

Sir Keir Starmer said his government had “inherited a £22bn black hole” and Conservative MPs “should be apologising… for leaving the country in such a state”.

He said government was committed to the pension “triple lock” which would increase by £460 next year.

“That means pensioners under Labour will be better off because we are going to stabilise the economy after that lot lost control of it,” he said.