£300 message issued to 10 million state pensioners

Millions of pensioners are set to lose money this winter

Around 10 million pensioners have been told they will lose up to £300 this winter. The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has suggested she does not intend to make any changes to her controversial plans to axe Winter Fuel Payments for millions.

All but the poorest pensioners will lose the payments, worth up to £300, which were previously universal. Ms Reeves was asked whether she was prepared to back down ahead of the Labour party conference, amid growing pressure from union bosses.

Unions are set to hold a vote on scrapping Winter Fuel Payments in a bid to increase pressure on Labour to reverse the decision. They are exactly the kind of headlines Labour was not hoping for at its first conference in Government for 14 years.

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It's a sign of how unpopular the Winter Fuel Payments decision has been with large sections of the country. While the richest pensioners do not need the winter top-up, the charity Age UK insists around two million who miss the qualifying threshold will be left struggling to heat their homes this winter.

The Chancellor gave no indication she was willing to back down on Winter Fuel Payments, which has already passed through Parliament. She once again pointed to the £22 billion "black hole" she says Labour has inherited from the last Conservative Government and has insisted difficult decisions need to be made.

But it comes before energy bills rise again in October by £149 on average. That figure could be higher for many pensioners as they tend to stay in their homes for longer.