Labour asked ‘how many will die’ over winter fuel payment cuts

The Health Secretary has been asked a very grim question on Thursday over the axing of the winter fuel payment, “how many will die?”

Wes Streeting told Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain that older people will be “better off” despite Labour cutting the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners.

Streeting said that there has been an increase in the state pension including the warm homes discount which will see pensioners receiving a one off £150 for a reduced electric bill.

Reid savaged the Labour MP saying, “The ECB delivered their second rate cut as expected.

“Yesterday, Sir Keir Starmer couldn’t show the analysis.

“Where is that analysis? How many people will die as a result of taking that money away from pensioners?

Streeting replied with, “The Chancellor will set out the impact assessment for all of her fiscal decisions in the usual way alongside the Budget.

“Let me just reassure people on where we are with winter fuel allowances. Pensioners will still be better off this winter and will be better off further still next winter because we have made a political choice to commit to the triple lock, to make sure we’ve got the warm homes discount.”

Reid said, “Energy bills are going up, you’re taking away hundreds of pounds from the majority of pensioners. Those pensioners are not going to feel better off.”

The Health Secretary said, “I appreciate, not least because we had to take the decision in the Summer to plug part of the £22bn hole, I know there are lots of pensioners watching.

“There are more painful choices to come. I know that is hard to hear.

“The medicine is not welcome. It doesn’t always feel good or taste good. But it is a lot better than not doing the responsible thing by the public finances.”

The Prime Minister was warned on Wednesday that impact of the means tested winter fuel payments could end up killing “3,850” pensioners this coming winter.

During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) Rishi Sunak told MPs in the House of Commons, 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.

“So, are the numbers in his impact assessment higher or lower than that?”

Sunak added, “Today pensioners watching will have seen that the Prime Minister has repeatedly refused to admit or publish the consequences of his decision and we will continue holding him to account for that.