Tavistock pensioners have shared their thoughts on the winter fuel payment U-turn that was announced on June 9.

For the coming winter, pensioners in England and Wales with an annual income £35,000 or below will now be eligible to receive the winter fuel payment, with no need to complete extra paperwork.

More than 10 million pensioners lost the payment worth up to £300 last year.

Now, in a dramatic turn, the Labour Government has announced that more than three-quarters of pensioners will receive the winter fuel payments next winter.

Pearl Duke, from Tavistock welcomed the U-turn.

She said: “I’m glad they’ve got a system where the pensioners who are better off and don’t need the payment don’t accept the allowance but the ordinary people who are struggling have it.”

Sandra Thomas, a Tavistock pensioner, said: “I use oil to heat my home and last year I missed the payment dreadfully. I’m entitled to £300 and that was just suddenly taken away from me. So I really felt the difference. I was very happy to hear about the U-turn on the winter fuel payment.”

Faith Dingle, also of Tavistock, said: “Not having the winter fuel allowance really taught us what we were taught as children, to economise. It was a good thing for that. Instead of running the hot water all day, I would only wash my dishes once a day.”

The U-turn by the Labour Government has been welcomed by a Conservative MP representing the West Devon area.

Rebecca Smith, Conservative MP for South West Devon, which includes the Yelverton area, said: “After months of pressure from my Conservative colleagues, Labour has finally been forced into a humiliating U-turn to restore Winter Fuel Payments.

“One of the first things I did when I was elected was write directly to the Chancellor to warn about the devastating impact this cut would have on pensioners in South West Devon. I have consistently spoken out in Parliament and challenged ministers directly, yet the government repeatedly ignored us. The Prime Minister dismissed our warnings, even as pensioners here faced a real crisis: choosing between heating and eating.

“Now, facing public outrage and electoral backlash, the Chancellor has begrudgingly reinstated these vital payments.”

The government says changing the threshold for getting the payment to £35,000 will cost the public purse £1.25bn. However, this will still be about £450m cheaper than giving the £200 or £300 payment (for those over 80) to all pensioner households.

There may also be some administrative costs to making the change.

The change represents a U-turn after Labour were slated on the doorsteps at the local authority elections in April this year for the controversial decision to strip all but the poorest pensioners from the benefit.

The move to restrict the winter fuel benefit to those in receipt of Pension Credit, it left only 1.5 million pensioners eligible.

This week’s U-turn by Chancellor Rachel Reeves will mean about nine million pensioners are now eligible.

The benefit will be clawed back in the following tax year from individuals earning £35,000 and above.