With the Prime Minister today flirting with the possibility of reinstating the winter fuel support for some pensioners, following sustained pressure - the PM’s hift fails to go far Enough – with a full u-turn needed, say Welsh Conservatives.

The change of heart may see some additional pensioners regain eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment after last year’s decision to restrict automatic access. However, the measures fall short of a full reversal, leaving too many older people still uncertain about the support they can expect next winter, Welsh Conservatives have stated.

This announcement comes amid growing concern over fuel poverty and the impact of rising energy bills, particularly in rural areas like Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, where pensioners face higher heating costs and limited access to alternative support.

Welsh Conservatives had already committed to introducing a specific Winter Fuel Payment for Wales, a proposal that helped drive momentum for change at Westminster.

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s statement, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz said: “Supporting our pensioners through the coldest months of the year should never have been in question.

“While today’s words from the PM are a step in the right direction, it simply doesn’t go far enough — we need a full U-turn to restore confidence and ensure no pensioner is left behind.”

“The Welsh Conservatives made our position clear: we would introduce a Welsh Winter Fuel Payment to plug the gap and protect our pensioners. Despite today’s announcement, the job is not done. We’ll keep up the pressure until a fair and comprehensive system is in place.”

Age Cymru’s has also given a response to the Prime Minister’s comments on Winter Fuel Payments today, with Victoria Lloyd, Chief Executive at Age Cymru stating: “We welcome the Prime Ministers’ comments and commitment to change, however, the detail is needed so we can be confident that any policy change is going to support those older people that we know are struggling without this vital payment.

“Means-testing Winter Fuel Payment in the way the UK Government announced last summer resulted in many pensioners on low incomes missing out on money they simply couldn’t afford to lose and at Age Cymru we saw the results in the winter just gone: significant numbers of older people too frightened to turn on their heating when it was cold, making life utterly miserable for them and putting their health at risk.

“If nothing changes, next winter threatens to be just as bad, so we welcome the UK Government’s acknowledgement that it would be unacceptable to repeat such a situation ever again.

“In considering how to change their policy the UK Government should think hard about how to put similar amounts of money back into the pockets of all the pensioners on low and modest incomes who struggled after they lost their Winter Fuel Payment, and how to restore the confidence of our older population more generally in their ability to afford their fuel bills.

“We said last autumn that we were especially worried about the welfare of older people entitled to Pension Credit but not claiming it; those whose incomes were meagre but that took them just above the line; and others who are seriously unwell and whose heating bills are exceptionally high because they cannot allow themselves to get cold.

“We will judge the success of any new policy proposals the UK Government brings forward by the extent to which they help vulnerable older people and those on low and modest incomes to be able to heat their homes adequately next winter.

“A social tariff for energy may be a big part of the longer-term answer but in the short term, the UK Government must act quickly to support pensioners next winter – which may feel a long way off but is really only six months away.”