Winter fuel payment U-turn in place this year

The government's partial U-turn on winter fuel payments will be in place so more people receive the allowance this winter, the chancellor has said.

Rachel Reeves cleared some uncertainty by announcing that "more people will get winter fuel payment this winter".

However, details of how the changes will be made and who will be eligible may not be clear until the autumn Budget.

The payment, worth up to £300 to help cover energy costs at the coldest time of year, was paid only to those on pension credit last winter, in a policy widely blamed for Labour's poor showing at recent local elections.

"People should be in no doubt that the means test will increase and more people will get winter fuel payment this winter," Reeves said.

However, speaking to a committee of MPs, the pensions minister Torsten Bell said there would be no return to the previous system in which the payment was made to all pensioners.