Pensions: Liz Truss commits to triple lock after concern from Tory MPs

Liz Truss has said she is committed to increasing pensions in line with prices, after some Tory MPs raised concerns the pledge could be ditched.

On Tuesday, the PM's spokesman said she was "not making any commitments", when asked about the triple lock pledge.

The triple lock means state pension payments rise by whatever is higher - inflation, average earnings or 2.5%.

It came after one Tory MP said pensioners should not be "paying the price for the cost-of-living crisis".

During Prime Minister's Questions, Ms Truss told the Commons: "We have been clear in our manifesto that we will maintain the triple lock and I am completely committed to it. So is the chancellor."

Until Tuesday, the PM had repeatedly said she was committed to the pensions triple lock.

But doubts were raised after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and then the PM's spokesman said they were "not making any commitments" on individual policy areas.

The PM's spokesman said Ms Truss had discussed the triple lock with the chancellor on Wednesday morning and they had agreed the position set out in PMQs.

He said it reflected the "unique position" of pensioners who are unable to increase their income through work.

The spokesman would not say if the prime minister had overruled the chancellor but when asked if they were working in "lockstep", he replied that they were.

One Tory MP told the BBC the PM had "discussions" on Tuesday with MPs who had expressed concern about the idea the triple lock could be ditched and had blamed a "comms problem".

The MP was delighted to hear the PM commit to the triple lock and felt "increasingly confident" the link between benefits and rising prices - not committed to during PMQs - would be confirmed on 31 October, when the chancellor is due to give a statement on the government's economic plans.

But they said the PM's position remained "volatile".

Two Tory MPs - Maria Caulfield and Steve Double - had already publicly declared they would not vote to end the triple lock.

"Pensioners should not be paying the price for the cost-of-living crisis, whether caused by the war in Ukraine or mini-budgets," Ms Caulfield said in a tweet.

Pensions and benefits normally increase every April, with a decision taken the previous autumn.

Work and Pensions Minister Lady Stedman-Scott told the House of Lords the government's triple lock guarantee applied not just to next year but also the rest of the parliament, which also includes the following year.

The Liberal Democrats said the government "had to be dragged kicking and screaming by their own backbench's backlash into doing the right thing, leaving yet more uncertainty for our most vulnerable".

Labour said it would raise the state pension in line with inflation if it was in government now but a spokesman said the party would not make commitments for a future manifesto.

The triple lock has been in place ever since it was introduced under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010, apart from a one-year suspension during the pandemic.

The government is still facing a potential Tory rebellion if it does not agree to increase benefits in line with inflation next April.

Ministers have so far refused to commit to the pledge, which was made by Ms Truss's predecessor Boris Johnson.

During PMQs, Ms Truss was urged by Tory MP John Baron to show "compassion in politics" by maintaining the link between benefits and inflation.

In response, she said: "We will always work to protect the most vulnerable", but stopped short of using the same unequivocal language she did for pensions.

Many of the government's tax and spending plans have been thrown in doubt, ahead of the chancellor's statement on 31 October.

All government departments have been told to find savings, and Mr Hunt has not ruled out further tax hikes and spending cuts to reassure financial markets and keep UK debt under control.