Starmer dodges calls to say what number of pensioners may die after Winter Fuel lower

Keir Starmer faces calls to reveal how many pensioners could die as a result of the cut to WInter Fuel Payments.

The PM was confronted over the controversial decision to cut the payments – worth up to £300 – for 10million pensioners. Tory leader Rishi Sunak accused him of “hiding” internal Government analysis on the impact of the move is released.

It comes after MPs backed plans to means-test the payments on Tuesday, in spite of a rebellion by backbenchers. Mr Starmer faced shouts of “shame” as he was confronted over the decision – but pointed out that there were Tories, including Kemi Badenoch, who had previously called for the same thing. Mr Sunak called on the PM to release an impact assessment on the expected effects of the move.

Mr Sunak pointed to previous Labour research that estimated 3,800 would die if Winter Fuel Payments were restricted. The Tory leader said: “It is now important the House understands the full consequence of that decision. So can I very specifically ask the Prime Minister will he now publish the impact assessment before the House rises?”

The PM swerved the question, responding: “The fact of the matter is this – they left a £22billion black hole and they hid it.” He said: “Of course when it came to mitigations, we put those in place.”

He went on to say increases in pensions “will outstrip any loss of payment” as a result of the triple lock. He said the Government had been “ramping up pension credit, dealing with housing benefit and linking it, something which the party opposite didn’t do for years”.

He added: “Because of the tough decisions that we’re making to stabilise the economy, we can make sure that the triple lock shows that increases in pensions will outstrip any loss of payment. But before he complains about us clearing up his mess, perhaps he’d like to apologise for the £22 billion black hole.”

Mr Sunak continued to press, pointing to 2017 analysis by Labour that suggested making Winter Fuel Payments could lead to 3,850 deaths. The former PM demanded to know if current updates are higher or lower. He said: “We know why he’s hiding the impact assessment. The Labour Party’s own previous analysis claimed that this policy could cause 3,850 deaths.”

Mr Starmer responded: “We’re taking this decision to stabilise the economy, that means we can commit to the triple lock. By committing to the triple lock we can make sure that payments of state pension are higher, and therefore there’s more money in the pocket of pensioners, notwithstanding the tough action that we need to take.

“But (Mr Sunak) goes around pretending that everything’s fine. That’s the argument he tried in the election and that’s why he’s sitting there and we are sitting here.”

Downing Street declined to comment on whether any assessment of the impact would be published. A Number 10 spokeswoman said: “Ministers will receive advice on the development of all policies but we don’t routinely provide a running commentary on the advice that they receive.”

She added: “We have spoken to the necessity of setting out the plans promptly, given the need to lay the regulations to come into effect in September. The Chancellor was very clear upon receiving the results of the audit in setting out the steps that she needed to take to address the £22 billion black hole in the public finances and that also enabled us to set out the plans and ensure that we could encourage people to apply for pension credit.

“That work is ongoing. We have seen a 115% increase in the claims but that work is still ongoing and we encourage people to apply and payments will be backdated.”

On Tuesday the PM suffered a revolt over his controversial decision to axe winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners. Mr Starmer won the vote in the Commons with a motion to cancel his plan defeated by 348 votes to 228 – a majority of 120. But some of his own MPs refused to back his decision to scrap winter fuel allowance for most OAPs amid a growing backlash.

Veteran left-winger Jon Trickett was the only Labour MP to rebel against the Government, along with the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and the Tories. No votes were recorded for 52 Labour MPs and it is understood around a dozen were not given permission to be absent.

The controversial plan to remove the £300 payment has faced criticism from charities and the public but it passed thanks to Labour’s massive Commons majority.

Charity Age UK, which warned some 2.5million pensioners on low incomes could now miss out, said they were “deeply disappointed, but not surprised the vote to brutally means-test winter fuel payments was passed today”. Charity director Caroline Abrahams said: “The reality is that driving through this policy as the Government is doing will make millions of poor pensioners poorer still and we are baffled as to why some Ministers are asserting that this is the right thing to do.”