Labour MPs in call for benefits U-turn after change to winter fuel payment cut
Rachel Reeves has announced that around nine million more pensioners will receive the fuel payment this year
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Chancellor should have u-turned on winter fuel long ago says SNP
THE decision to reinstate the winter fuel payment should have been taken "a long time ago", Scotland's Social Justice Secretary has said.
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After Rachel Reeves announced the change that means pensioners with an income of put to £35,000 a year will now get the payment, Scotland's Social Justice Secretary said many will still miss out.
The UK Government decision is a partial reversal of the decision last year to axe the payment of up to £300 for all but the lowest income pensioners.
READ NEXT: Rachel Reeves reveals changes to Winter Fuel Payments this year
The decision, one of the first of the new Labour Government, was met with an outcry among anti-poverty campaigners and older people's groups.
The Scottish Government also hade to postpone its plan to roll out a Scottish payment by one year.
The Scottish policy will see pensioners on the highest incomes receiving £100 and £305.10 for those on the lowest.
Shirley-Anne Somervile, Scottish Social Justice Secretary said: "I welcome any extension of eligibility by the UK Government, but this is a U-turn the Chancellor should have made a long time ago.
"But there is still no detail about how the Chancellor intends to go about that.
"Unfortunately, it still sounds as if many pensioners will miss out."
She added: "The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government wrote to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury last week to urge the UK Government to share its plans with us as quickly as possible, so that we can understand any implications for our own programmes and, crucially, our budget."
Scotish Labour defended the Chanceloors decision.
Paul O'Kane, MSP said: "The winter fuel payment is a devolved payment in Scotland and Scottish Labour has long been clear that we want to see it reinstated for the majority of pensioners up here - but despite their loud spin, the SNP voted against our attempts to do so.
"The SNP must not go ahead with plans that would rob poorer pensioners in order to fund payments for millionaires.
"The SNP must re-examine their own proposals in light of this game-changing announcement, ensure payments reach those most in need, and give a cast-iron guarantee that no struggling Scottish pensioners will be left out of pocket under their plans."
