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RACHEL REEVES SAYS THE MEANS-TESTING THRESHOLD WILL BE RAISED TO MAKE MORE OLDER PEOPLE ELIGIBLE AGAIN 11:32, 04 Jun 2025Updated 16:48, 04 Jun 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed

that changes to the Winter Fuel Payment to make more people eligible will take effect later this year. While a full reversal of the cuts has been ruled out, Ms Reeves says the means-testing

threshold will soon be raised to enable more older people to qualify for the heating allowance. In July 2024, Labour dramatically reformed the fuel payment, restricting it to those claiming

the means-tested top-up Pension Credit and mixed-age households on some other means-tested benefits. However, this caused major damage to the party's performance in recent elections.

READ MORE At a press conference in Rochdale, Ms Reeves said: "We have listened to the concerns that people had about the level of the means test, and so we will be making changes to

that. They will be in place so that pensioners are paid this coming winter. Article continues below "We'll announce the detail of that and the level of that as soon as we possibly

can. But people should be in no doubt that the means test will increase and more people will get a Winter Fuel Payment this winter." Sir Keir Starmer has not rejected suggestions that

further details could come at the Chancellor's Spending Review on June 11, only saying there were "lots of moving parts" to resolve. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Angela

Rayner also signalled further details could come in the June 11 statement to the Commons, describing it as the "first opportunity" to do so. Shadow Treasury minister Gareth Davies

said: "Rachel Reeves is scrambling to salvage her failing economic plan after the Prime Minister has made U-turn after U-turn, punching holes in her credibility. "She needed to do

better than copying and pasting announcements made by the previous Conservative government. The country is not falling for their lies any more. Britain deserves better. "Only the

Conservatives believe in sound money, low tax and the ingenuity of our entrepreneurs." The initial decision to means-test the payment was criticised on the doorstep by voters in recent

local elections, as well as in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election where Reform UK won the constituency from Labour. It saw the number of pensioners receiving the payment drop by around 10

million, from 11.4 million to 1.5 million. Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp. Join our dedicated community for the latest updates sent straight to your phone as they happen.

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