Play all audios:
TREASURY MINISTER DARREN JONES SAID WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS WILL 'STILL BE TARGETED' NEIL SHAW Assistant Editor 06:29, 30 May 2025 Millionaires should not get “subsidy for their
energy bills from the Government”, a Treasury minister has said. Darren Jones has said that winter fuel payments will “still be targeted to those that need it the most”. Sir Keir said at
Prime Minister’s questions last week that he wants to restore the payments to more pensioners, following pressure from campaigners, signalling a partial U-turn on one of Labour’s first
announcements in Government. He claimed that the UK’s improving economic prospects could allow for the move at the next fiscal event. The partial U-turn came as ministers are continuing to
face calls to scrap the two-child benefit cap. Speaking to Sky News on Thursday evening, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Mr Jones was asked about Reform UK’s commitments on both the winter
fuel and benefit cap policies. “All of those things cost money,” Mr Jones said. “It’s right that we set out the detail and how we’re going to pay for those in a proper and orderly way.” He
added: “We’re sticking to the principle that millionaires shouldn’t be getting subsidy for their energy bills from the government, so winter fuel payments will still be targeted to those
that need it the most.” Mr Jones also touched on the Government’s approach to child poverty, telling the same programme that “we’re a Labour government we want child poverty to be falling in
this country, not rising”. “Of course, we want to help families lift themselves out of poverty.” Last summer, Rachel Reeves announced that the previously universal winter fuel payment would
be means-tested. The policy was blamed for the party’s collapse in support since last year’s general election, and campaigners were challenged about it on the doorsteps during May’s local
elections. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage confirmed earlier this week that his party would support scrapping the two-child benefit cap and also reverse the winter fuel payment cuts. Sir Keir
said he is looking at “all options” to drive down child poverty when asked if he would like to get rid of the two-child benefit cap on Thursday. Speaking on a visit to the North West, the
Prime Minister said: “There isn’t a single bullet, but I’m absolutely determined that we will drive this down, and that’s why we’ll look at all options, always, of driving down child
poverty.” Article continues below Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has accused the Labour and Reform leaders of asking people to fund “unlimited child support for others” by scrapping the
two-child cap. Writing in the Daily Mail, she said that the Conservatives are the “only serious party of sound money”. “Britain deserves party leaders who don’t treat economics like a branch
of showbiz, an announcement for a nice headline and forget about the deficit,” she said.