Speculation that the Conservative Party might perversely be at loggerheads with one of their key voter bases has arisen after the Paymaster General suggested stripping some older people of the Winter Fuel Payment.
Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones has written to the chancellor to ask whether the payment (not currently means-tested) is set to be limited in the autumn statement after a recording of John Glen saying his own mother shouldn’t qualify for financial support was leaked.
He said his mother is “perfectly comfortable” and should not in receipt of financial assistance, though added rationing it would be “very difficult”.
The position articulated in private contradicts the Government’s public stance, which is that winter fuel payments should be given to all pensioners rather than only the poorest.
As Jones points out, the latest intervention comes on top of previous speculation about the government’s approach to the triple lock after Glen asked whether the tool was “sustainable”.
Pensioners could receive an inflation-busting state pension increase next year, which could re-ignite the debate around the triple-lock.
As the average earnings figure published last month is higher than 6.7 per cent, state pensioners are set to benefit from an inflation-busting 8.5 per cent rise, taking the new state pension payment to £11,501.
Related: A reminder of what a UN rapporteur said about the UK benefit system in 2018