BREAKING: Downing Street rules out U-turn on winter fuel payment cut for millions of pensioners

Downing Street has ruled out a U-turn on the controversial cuts to winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners - despite mounting pressure.

It came after the Health Secretary Wes Streeting admitted anger over the cuts hurt in the local elections last week with voters raising the issue on the doorstep.

But No10 said there would be no change in policy after the Guardian reported there could be a re-think of the £11,500 cut-off for the allowance.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said on Tuesday: "The government set out its position on means-testing winter fuel. It was a difficult decision but one the government had to take to repair our public finances and stabilise the economy and the government's priority is ensuring pensioners receive the financial support they deserve with millions set to see their state pension rise."

"The policy is set out, there will not be a change to the government policy, which set out the difficult decision we had to take to ensure economic stability, repair the public finances following the £22billion blackhole left by the previous government."

Pressed further, they said: "The government has set out its policies and the reasons behind these policies and there is no change to the government policy and will not be a change to the government's policy."

Asked about reported changes to the threshold so more pensioners would be eligible, the PM's spokesman added: "We set out the policy and there is no change. There is no change to that policy. As I say it was a difficult decision to means-test winter fuel payments but it was one we had to do to restore economic stability and repair public finances."

Last year the Chancellor announced winter fuel payments would be means-tested - cutting eligibility for millions of pensioners - within weeks of Labour winning office. She blamed the dire inheritance left by the Tories' 14-year spell in office and a £22billion blackhole left behind.

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