I want to take this opportunity to apologise to any pensioners who will be worried about the impact that this change will have on their finances this winter.

I am angry that the previous Conservative government has left our country with a huge in-year deficit and crumbling public services and whilst there are no easy choices, I know that this will be a worry to pensioners who are just above the pension credit threshold.

We are committed to stabilising our economy, cutting NHS waiting times, rebuilding our crumbling public services and supporting people with the cost of living. When Labour introduced the Winter fuel allowance in 1997, pensioners were MORE LIKELY to be in poverty than the rest of the population, now they are LESS LIKELY than the rest of the population. By committing to the triple lock we will add £460 to every pension next April on top of the £900 increase received last year. The energy price cap is also now £266 lower than it was a year ago.

In the current climate, with the government’s deficit being £22 Billion higher than expected, it is hard to justify why even wealthy pensioners should receive this money when poor families don’t, but for those pensioners who will find this reduction makes it hard this winter, I ask them to investigate whether they should be entitled to Pension credit or the Household support payment through the council.

We want everyone entitled to pension credit to start receiving it, only 63% of people eligible to receive pension credit have signed up for it. I would urge anyone who is concerned about bills this winter to check if they are eligible by visiting the following link: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility or by calling the Pension Credit claim line at 0800 99 1234.

This government will always be open and transparent with the public about the state of the finances and the tough choices we must take to protect our economic stability. We also hear people’s worries about the desperate state of our hospitals, GPs, special needs education, roads and care services and they cannot be addressed without investment too.

So whilst I am clear that this is decision caused by the legacy left by the previous government, I am in no doubt that it will give people real concern this autumn and am here to help those people in any way we can.