Overview

• The U-turn restores payments for those with annual incomes up to £35,000, extending support to approximately nine million pensioners in England and Wales.
• Winter fuel payments will be automatically distributed this winter, with HMRC reclaiming funds from pensioners earning above the new threshold.
• Households including someone between state pension age and 79 will receive £200, while those with someone aged 80 or over will receive £300.
• The revised scheme is projected to cost £1.25 billion and deliver £450 million in savings through targeted means-testing.
• Charities and advocacy groups have welcomed the expansion but warn further measures are needed to tackle pensioner poverty.