Since 1997, all British pensioners have been able to claim a tax-free payment to help with their heating costs. The winter fuel payment, introduced by the last Labour government, previously doled out as much as £300 a year to all retirees.

The money is just for the holiday kitty,” says Jon Harvey of the £300 he was given every winter to help with heating bills. “I could also use it to go out for a nice meal.” The 80-year-old, like all pensioners in England and Wales,

The governments plan to restrict pensioners winter fuel payment to households getting pension credit has been easily if grudgingly passed by parliament. This was despite a strong case for delaying the move to