# Budget energy bailout just for poorest benefits claimants could be a disaster like winter fuel allowance, warns Labour ex-Cabinet minister

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/budget-energy-bailout-just-for-poorest-benefits-claimants-could-be-a-disaster-like-winter-fuel-allowance-warns-labour-ex-cabinet-minister/
- Published: 2026-10-23T08:18:31+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T09:23:57+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16232241/Budget-energy-bailout-poorest-benefits-winter-fuel-Labour-Cabinet-Healey-Burnham.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Darren Jones cautions against limiting energy help too narrowly.
- A proposed discount increase could cover six million households.
- Forecast bills could rise by £276 in January.

## Summary

Darren Jones, a former Cabinet minister and ally of Keir Starmer, has warned that restricting an energy bill bailout to the poorest people on benefits could repeat the political damage caused by the winter fuel allowance changes. He urged Chancellor John Healey to ensure the Budget provides support at a suitable threshold, arguing that lower bills could also help restrain inflation.

The Government is reportedly considering raising the Warm Homes Discount from £150 to £250 a year for about six million households receiving benefits, potentially funded by a levy on banks. The warning comes as Cornwall Insight forecasts the energy price cap could rise by £276 to £1,999 a year in January, following a 4 per cent increase in October. The winter fuel allowance was initially limited to 1.5 million pensioners from nearly 11 million, before the policy was reversed to cover three-quarters of pensioners.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.