
Tonight with Andrew Marr 6pm - 7pm
26 May 2025, 11:22
'It goes towards a holiday': What some pensioners are really using their winter fuel allowance for
Pensioner Ray and Paul Brand reveal what some people really use their winter fuel allowance for.
Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly ready to reverse changes to the winter fuel allowance cut as soon as next month. This decision comes as Labour MPs claimed the policy was 'kryptonite' during local election doorstep campaigning.
'Working class' pensioner Ray, who 'does not need the winter fuel payment', tells LBC's Paul Brand that 'pensioners as an age group are the richest in society'.
Paul went on to reveal how his 'first indication of how angry people were' was when an older relative said, "I'm so annoyed... we treat ourselves once a year with that, we go out for a nice meal'."
Paul noted how that 'wasn't really the point of the winter fuel allowance', questioning that if pensioners on relatively modest incomes are able to 'squirrel that away', then do they really need the payment.
Caller Ray, in Whitstable, agreed with Paul's point and went on to share that his acquaintance puts the money 'towards one of her holidays'.