Hello, I'm Alicia McCarthy-Makoffice.

Hello, I'm Alicia McCarthy. Thanks for downloading the yesterday in Parliament podcast.

On Monday the 9th of June, a government minister came to the Commons to make a U-turn on winter fuel payments.

When the Chancellor comes to the Commons tomorrow to announce her spending review,

you can guarantee the Chamber will be packed with noisy MPs,

keen as mustard, to finally hear her plans.

But there was a rather more muted reaction when a Work and Pensions Minister

arrived in the Chamber on Monday to U-turn on what has so far been Rachel Reeves' most controversial decision.

We have the statement changes to winter fuel payments 2025,

and I call the Minister, Torsten Bell.

The Deputy Speaker, Nuz Garnie, setting the stage for the work and pensions Minister

Torsten Bell to confirm the government's rethink on winter fuel payments.

Having scrapped the payout worth up to £300 for all but the least well off soon after the election,

the government is restoring it to the majority of pensioners.

Those on the highest incomes do not need it.

And there are many other calls on public spending.

The government has, however, listened to concerns about the

level of the means test. So now winter fuel payments will be given to all pensioners in England

and Wales unless they opt out. But it will be clawed back through the tax system from those

with an income over £35,000. The minister said 9 million pensioners would now get the payment.

We are acting to make sure all, all lower income pensioners receive support. The new individual

35,000 threshold is significantly above the income of pensioners in poverty and broadly in line

...