18 minutes | Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Around 10 million people in England and Wales will not receive winter fuel payments this winter. Under Chancellor Rachel Reeves' plan, only those who receive pension credit or other means-tested benefits will still get the £200-£300 towards the cost of their energy bills. Critics, including Labour MPs, have said the payments will put even more pressure on elderly people as the cap on energy prices rises again in October. On this episode, Liz Bates gets a breakdown of Labour’s plan, from our political correspondent Serena Barker-Singh, and hears from one of its critics, Labour back-bencher Rachael Maskell. Plus, could there be an alternative that could keep everyone happy? We hear from the Social Market Foundation’s Sam Robinson about its proposal for an alternative to the winter fuel allowance. Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Editor: Paul Stanworth Promotions producer: Jada-Kai Meosa John