Starmer refuses to rule out scrapping pensioner council tax discount after winter fuel axe

The prime minister came under pressure at PMQs over his decision to means test the winter fuel payments worth up to £300, and then refused to guarantee other pensioner benefits

Keir Starmer is facing backlash over the winter fuel payment cut for pensioners (Reuters)

Sir Keir Starmer has refused three times to say whether he will publish an impact assessment of his decision to withdraw winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners.

It came as the prime minister also failed to give a guarantee on continued support for pensioner discounts for council tax, telling MPs they will have to wait for the Budget on 30 October. During PMQs he refused to guarantee bus passes and discretionary travel would be protected but a spokesperson later confirmed they are safe.

Sir Keir came under pressure at PMQs over his decision to means test the payment, worth up to £300, removing it from all but the poorest pensioners.

Ahead of a crunch vote on the decision, The Independent revealed that the government has assessed how many additional pensioners will be driven into fuel poverty by the move. But ministers have so far refused to publish the assessment, promising only that it will be made public “in due course”.

Labour has so far failed to publish an impact assessment on the fuel cuts (Reuters)

Sir Keir staved off a threatened rebellion of Labour MPs, with only one voting against the measure, but at PMQs on Wednesday Rishi Sunak repeatedly asked the PM whether he would publish the assessment, and why he had refused so far.

Mr Sunak, who will act as leader of the opposition until a successor is chosen, said: “Yesterday, Labour MPs voted to remove the winter fuel payment from over 10 million British pensioners, including those with just £13,000 of income.

“With that decision debated and made, it is important the House understands the full consequences of the government’s choice.

“Will he now publish the impact assessment before the House rises?”

Mr Sunak went on to ask the prime minister about the impact assessment twice more, but Sir Keir repeatedly avoided the question.

He said: “The fact of the matter is that they left a £22bn black hole… because of the tough decisions we are making to stabilise the economy, we can make sure the triple lock grows and increases in pensions will outstrip the loss of payment.

“Before he complains about us clearing up his mess, perhaps he would like to apologise for the £22bn black hole.”

Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak challenged the prime minister on the cuts (PA Wire)

Mr Sunak pointed to a 2017 Labour analysis of Conservative plans to means test the payment, which found that it would kill as many as 4,000 pensioners.

“Are the numbers in his impact assessment higher or lower than that,” Mr Sunak asked.

But a defiant Sir Keir again refused to say when the impact assessment would be made public. In the weekly post-PMQs huddle with journalists, the state of the impact assessment remained shrouded in misery. The prime minister’s spokesman repeatedly refused to confirm that one had been completed, and would not answer questions about whether it would be made public if so.

“I am just not getting into advice from officials,” she said repeatedly.

Later he was challenged Tory Old Bexley and Sidcup MP Louie French is he would “rule out scrapping discretionary travel fairs and council tax discounts which also help millions of pensioners around the country”.

But Sir Keir refused saying: “I don’t want to pre-empt the Budget.”

Left-wing Labour MP Kim Johnson, who has opposed the change and did not vote for it, previously told The Independent that “failing to release this crucial information only gives rise to the suspicion that there are details within that the government would prefer to keep hidden”.

And former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who has been suspended for rebelling against the government over the two-child benefit cap, said it was “no way to implement policy”.

“I am fearful of the impact on many people whose lives will be made so much harder and for some who will be put at serious risk,” he added.

Rachel Reeves has said means testing the payment will save the Treasury £1.5bn this year and is essential to restore order to the public finances.

But charity Age UK, which campaigned against the change, estimates around two million struggling pensioners will suffer because of the change.