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, was given the winter fuel payment (WFP) automatically until this week when the new Labour government voted to change the rules.
Now only pensioners who qualify for certain benefits will receive it, an estimated 1.5 million people. Last winter 10.8 million people got the payment.
Jon, a retired police officer, tells us its about time the rules changed as there are people who need it more than me.
The policy, launched by the last Labour government in 1997, costs nearly £2bn per year but Sir Keir Starmer hopes the changes will save taxpayers £1.5bn.
The prime minister says it could help plug the £22bn “black hole” he says exists in the national finances – but the Tories and charities fear it could leave some over-65s cold this winter.
Beyond the political fray, the argument is nuanced – so the BBC spoke to pensioners to hear the full range of views. Some told us they rely on the payment for heating, while others said they spend the money on things like holidays, restaurants or their grandchildren.
