Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves ‘in very good position’ as Nigel Farage wades in on double whammy fear for pensioners
Nigel Farage says Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are in a “very good position” ahead of a potential double whammy for pensioners.
After the Winter Fuel Allowance was cut for millions of pensioners, Labour refused to rule out scrapping the single-person council tax discount.
Speaking on GB News, Nigel suggested it’s “one rule for them, another for everyone else”.
“We have had the big row over the Winter Fuel Allowance being taken away from 10 million pensioners”, he said.
“But could this attack on pensioners, as some see it, go even further? Could it go to the single-person discount?
“That means, if you are living on your own, you get a 25 per cent reduction on the council tax of your property, there is a lot of speculation on that.
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“It’s worth noting actually that Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are in a very, very good position.
“In their grace and favour homes, they will only have to contribute about 10 per cent of their income to cover all their services and utilities. There is no prospect, even with the energy price cap rise, that will go up.
“Some will say it’s one rule for them, and another for us.”
Retirees make up about half of the 8.4 million people who will be affected if Labour abolishes the council tax discount for single householders, analysis shows.
Rachel Reeves has insisted such measures are being considered to plug a public finance “black hole”.
A Downing Street spokesman spoke outside the Commons about the Government potentially targeting pensioners once more by scrapping free bus passes.
Asked if they remained committed to it, they said: “We are. There are no plans to change that.”
She added: “The PM was making a broader point about not pre-empting the Budget. I think there were some other examples put to him as well but on bus passes we have been clear in answering that question – there are no plans.
“The Chancellor [Rachel Reeves] was also asked about this… she mentioned TV licences, prescriptions and bus passes to rule those out.”
Asked specifically about the single person’s council tax discount, the spokeswoman said: “On that, I would point you to his words about not getting ahead of the Budget.”