Winter Fuel Payment Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Winter Fuel Payment

Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court Excerpts
Thursday 12th June 2025

(3 weeks, 2 days ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court Portrait Lord Macpherson of Earl’s Court (CB)
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My Lords, as the Minister knows, I did not welcome this decision. Turning to principles, does he agree that cliff edges in the tax and benefits system are undesirable? Can he explain whether, when a pensioner’s income moves from £34,999 to £35,000, support will be tapered away, or whether £1 in extra income will result in a £300 loss of winter fuel allowance?

Lord Livermore Portrait Lord Livermore (Lab)
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I am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. He knows much more about the tax and benefits system than I do, I suspect, having spent many more years working on it than me. The answer to his question is that it is the latter: it is up to and including £35,000, so it will be at £35,001 where that happens. At that point, they will lose the winter fuel payment in its entirety.