Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been accused of hitting pensioners with a 'back door tax' after changing the allocation of winter fuel allowance.

On Monday, Ms Reeves announced a change to winter fuel payments, scrapping the extra money for those who were not in receipt of pension credits.

Yvonne Flint said: "It seems nowadays the less you do the more you get. Makes your blood boil."

Sylvia Harding, an 83-year-old pensioner, voiced a counter opinion, saying that the cut wouldn't affect pensioners in receipt of Pension Credits.

She stated: "I would rather do without £200 or £300 a year and the doctors and nurses stay here instead of going to other countries they do a job most of us couldn't."

Meanwhile, Ted Mason said: "I’ve been hit by a back door tax. What’s next?"

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Several readers feared that this decision was the beginning of more cuts to pensioner benefits.

Christopher Hackworth said: "This is just the start with Labour all whilst they commit 11 billion to foreign climate project whilst robbing our own pensioners. Disgusting."

Sheila Reid argued against the cut, expressing concern for pensioners who don't qualify for pension credits but still need financial assistance: "Lots of pensioners are just not entitled to pension credits but are not well off that three hundred pounds helped a great deal."

There were suggestions to stop other allocations to preserve the winter fuel allowance.

Lynn Holland suggested: "The fuel allowance is given to everyone one on state pension.

"Even those who choose to live abroad as the winters are warmer.

"I would say that they could stop sending to those as they don't need it."

Geoff Murray accused the Labour party of betraying pensioners, saying: "It’s long overdue to be tax free in return for the money I’ve given to various government over the years.

"It’s time for this country to stop financing illegal immigration and other overseas aid (except disaster aid) and look after this country’s legal population."

Louise Owens expressed concern for the health of pensioners: "You work all your life, you retire, then what you are entitled to is taken away.

"So it will not be COVID or flu that will kill you it will be hypothermia."

Ms Reeves defended the decision in a press conference on Monday saying that the cut was “the right decision in the circumstances in which we find ourselves to ensure that pension credit continues to go to the poorest pensioners.”