Rachel Reeves responds after being asked if she will apologise over winter fuel payments U-turn

The £300 payment will now be restored to the vast majority of pensioners who previously received it

Rachel Reeves has declined to apologise to pensioners over her cut to winter fuel payments.

On Monday morning, the Chancellor announced that around nine million pensioners in England and Wales will receive the winter fuel payment this winter.

This comes less than a year after the government decided to limit the benefit to only those who claimed pension credit.

The U-turn means the £300 payment will be restored to the vast majority of pensioners who previously received it.

Anyone with an income of under £35,000 a year will now get the payment automatically.

Pensioners with an income above this threshold will also receive the payment - but it will then be reclaimed from them in tax.

To be eligible for the winter fuel allowance, a person will need to have reached state pension age by the week starting September 15 this year.

Asked if she would apologise for causing "unnecessary anxiety and hardship", the Chancellor told ITV News: "The irresponsible thing to have done last year was to allow the public finances to carry on on an unsustainable footing.

"That would have resulted in interest rates going up, costing families and pensioners more in mortgages and rents."

She added: "I’m always going to put stability in our economy first."

The decision to cut the winter fuel payment for millions was one of Labour’s first acts in Government.

The heavily-criticised move was aimed at balancing what was described as a £22 billion "black hole" in the public finances.

However, it meant the number of pensioners receiving the payment was reduced by around 10 million, from 11.4 million to 1.5 million.

Sir Keir Starmer announced there would be a partial U-turn on the policy in May, after it was thought to have contributed to Labour’s drubbing in the local elections.

The Treasury claims the new arrangement will cost £1.25 billion in England and Wales, while means-testing winter fuel will save the taxpayer £450 million.

You can check if you qualify for the payment below.

Eligibility criteria for the winter fuel allowance:

• Have reached state pension age by the week starting September 15 this year

• Anyone with an income of under £35,000 a year will now get the payment automatically

• Those with an income above this threshold will also receive the payment, but it will then be reclaimed from them in tax

• Devolved authorities in Scotland and Northern Ireland will each receive a funding uplift so they too can meet the new threshold

• Pensioners who do not want to receive the payment will be able to opt out, according to the Treasury