Labour could review other benefit cuts after winter fuel U-turn, sources say
Keir Starmer has announced a partial U-turn that would make more pensioners eligible for winter fuel payments as government figures opened the door to more tweaks to controversial policies.After a major backlash against one of the most unpopular measures announced by the Labour government, the prime minister indicated he would look again at the £11,500 threshold over which pensioners are no longer eligible for the allowance.Downing Street said the change was a result of an improved economic landscape, with sources saying ministers could revisit policies including the two-child benefit cap or health and disability cuts if the economy continued to improve.“We’re open to adapting policy as the circumstances allow.So when there’s an opportunity to make people better off, which is our central purpose, then we’re going to take it,” a government source said.
However, No 10 was unable to confirm whether the winter fuel U-turn would come into effect by this winter if announced in the autumn budget – or how many of the approximately 10 million pensioners who lost it would have it restored.The reversal comes despite Downing Street ruling out making changes to winter fuel payments after the Guardian revealed that it was rethinking the cut amid anxiety at the top of government that the policy could wreak serious electoral damage.Senior Labour figures are hoping the partial U-turn, along with measures to curb child poverty to be announced at the spending review, will help to head off a growing backbench rebellion over the government’s £5bn welfare cuts next month.Ministers are planning to announce a package of up to £750m to tackle child poverty at the spending review in June, the Guardian understands, although the final figure is yet to be agreed.This is expected to focus on measures to tackle the root causes of poverty such as work, housing and education.
It could include expanding free breakfast clubs, broadening eligibility for free school meals or raising the amount paid to families in child benefit.Starmer has insisted to his team that the option of tweaking the two-child limit for universal credit, or even scrapping it entirely, should remain on the table.Any decision on this is likely to be taken “down the line”, a government figure said.“The prime minister and chancellor are resolute in their determination to tackle child poverty and the spending review next month will be about making a down payment on that promise,” a No 10 source said.“This isn’t about fiddling around the edges but radical reform and investment in the places that can make a difference to a child’s life chances.
”The decision to means test the previously universal winter fuel payment was one of the first announcements by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, after Labour’s landslide election victory last year and has been widely blamed for the party’s collapsing public support.Party activists said the decision to axe £1.5bn in winter fuel payments last July, limiting them to either £200 or £300 a year to pensioners in England and Wales who receive means-tested pensions credit, came up repeatedly on the doorstep during this month’s local elections.“I recognise that people are still feeling the pressure of the cost of living crisis, including pensioners, as the economy improves,” Starmer told MPs at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday.“We want to make sure people feel those improvements as their lives go forward.
That is why we want to ensure that as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments.”The government has insisted the policy was necessary to help stabilise the public finances, allowing the improvements in the economic picture that Starmer said could result in the partial reversal of the measure.“As the economy improves, we want to take measures that will impact on people’s lives, and therefore we will look at the threshold, but that will have to be part of the fiscal event,” he added.Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: “The world’s longest U-turn continues.The prime minister has announced the ‘concepts of a plan’ that have come far too late for the millions of pensioners forced to freeze in their own homes over the winter.
“The least those people deserve is an apology for this punitive policy and a serious proposal from the prime minister on how he will begin to pick up the pieces from his government’s disastrous decision.Not vague words that will take months to materialise into something meaningful.”Finding a mechanism to widen eligibility for the payment will cause headaches in Whitehall after the decision to link it to the pension credit threshold.Officials fear that simply increasing the pension credit threshold would increase take-up of that benefit, wiping out any potential savings.Officials said work was starting immediately on how to introduce changes at the autumn budget as they ruled out a full reversal.
A more likely option would be creating a new threshold specifically for winter fuel that would allow households not on pension credit to qualify.Raising it 20% above the pension credit threshold would cost about £100m and make about 400,000 more families eligible for winter fuel payments, according to the Resolution Foundation.Or the entitlement could be expanded to those who get disability or housing benefits.The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, said she would like to see pensioners on £11,000 to £15,000 a year getting winter fuel payments but that it would be “too late” if ministers wait until the autumn budget to set out the details as they would lose this year’s entitlement.Meanwhile, Liz Kendall, the welfare secretary, insisted she will press ahead with measures to cut the benefits bill despite pressure from MPs, adding that she would listen to concerns but that the system needs to change.
UK ban on junk food adverts targeting children is delayed until next year
Ministers are to delay introducing a ban on junk food adverts targeting children until 2026, sparking outrage among health campaigners.Labour made new rules prohibiting unhealthy food ads online and before 9pm on television a key election manifesto pledge, and after winning power it promised the ban would come into force across the UK on 1 October.But the legislation has now been shelved until January next year after lobbying by the food industry.The world’s largest manufacturers of ultra-processed food (UPF) and other unhealthy products had raised concerns that branded ads not featuring specific items would be affected by the ban.As a result, ministers have agreed to amend the law to ensure that brand-only advertising that does not show products high in fat, salt or sugar is not caught under the rules
Australia approves new drug to treat early Alzheimer’s disease
Australia’s medicines regulator has approved a new drug to treat the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, but experts warn that less than one in five people with dementia will be eligible for the treatment that could cost more than $80,000 out of pocket.The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has registered donanemab, sold under the brand name Kisunla and developed by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, for the treatment of adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease who have a specific genetic profile.Donanemab is given as an intravenous infusion through the arm every four weeks for a maximum of 18 months, and works by targeting amyloid proteins in the brain – the buildup of which researchers believe contributes to Alzheimer’s disease.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news emailThe registration marks the first new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in 25 years, and the first time a treatment affects the outcome of the disease, Prof Christopher Rowe, the director of the Australian Dementia Network said.The medications that were approved 20 years ago temporarily improved symptoms, “but this one actually slows down the rate of decline by about one-third,” Rowe said
Heavy periods affect school attendance and exam scores, study in England finds
Heavy, prolonged periods and severe menstrual pain are linked with lower school attendance and poorer GCSE scores, according to new research.The England-based study found that more than a third of girls (36%) who participated experienced heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, which was associated with missing an additional 1.7 days of school every year.These symptoms were associated with achieving about one grade lower at GCSE, as well as 27% lower odds of achieving five standard GCSE passes, often required to enable a student to go on to the next stage of their education.Girls were also asked about severe cramps and pain during periods, which was experienced by more than half (56%) of participants and was linked with an additional 1
Shabana Mahmood considers chemical castration for serious sex offenders
Shabana Mahmood, the lord chancellor, is considering mandatory chemical castration for the most serious sex offenders, according to government sources.The minister’s department is planning to expand a pilot to 20 regions as part of a package of “radical” measures to free thousands of prisoners and ease prison overcrowding in England and Wales.As well as releasing and tagging killers and rapists after they have served half of their sentence, she is considering the findings of an independent sentencing review that has also called for the government to build an evidence base on drugs that “suppress libido” or reduce “sexual thoughts”.They are among 48 recommendations put forward by David Gauke, the chair of the review.Mahmood is expected to address the Commons on Thursday to outline which measures she will accept in a major overhaul of criminal justice
Extra cancer scans for women with dense breasts could save 700 lives a year – UK study
Hundreds of lives could be saved every year with extra cancer checks for women with very dense breasts, a study suggests.Millions of women undergo breast screening, but regular mammograms can be less effective at spotting cancer in the 10% with very dense breasts, as the tissue can hide tumours on X-rays. This is because very dense breasts look whiter on scans, making it harder to detect early-stage disease, which also appears white.Offering this group of women enhanced scans could find 3,500 more cases of cancer and save 700 lives a year in the UK, researchers from the University of Cambridge said. Their findings were published in the Lancet
‘It’s all people wanted to talk about’: How Labour U-turned on winter fuel payment cut
Rarely are British voters united by one issue, but Labour MPs returning to Westminster after the local election campaign this month all reported a single policy dominating all others: cuts to the winter fuel allowance.“It is all people wanted to talk about on the doorstep,” said one. “Some were upset about the coming cuts to disability benefits, some were exercised by immigration. But everyone was angry about winter fuel payments.”And so when Keir Starmer confirmed on Wednesday his government would change the threshold at which the cuts bite, it should not have come as a surprise
Pistachio tiramisu and mango shortcakes: Nicola Lamb’s recipes for spring desserts
Australian supermarket cucumber pickles taste test: ‘I didn’t think any would be this powerful’
Layer up: spring fillings for filo pies
Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for gildas in carriages | Quick and easy
‘For indulgence, brioche is king’ – the sweet, buttery bread stealing sourdough’s crown
Richard Goodman obituary