“The Government's Winter Fuel Payment announcement makes this a good day for older people.

"The decision to restore the Winter Fuel Payment to 9 million pensioners - all but those on the highest incomes who should be able to pay their heating bills without it - is the right thing to do and something that will bring some much-needed reassurance for older people and their families. At Age UK we heard from many through the winter who were so frightened about their bills that they didn't even try to keep their homes adequately warm."

"We have always said what really matters is that the estimated 2.5 million older people who lost their Winter Fuel Payment when they couldn't afford it get the money back, by one means or another. These 2.5 million comprise older people entitled to Pension Credit but not claiming it; those whose small incomes take them just above the line; and a third group who face extremely high bills because of severe ill health or disability.

"This new policy will help all these people by restoring their Winter Fuel Payment and we welcome it as a result. 

"Of course, we would much have preferred it had the Government taken this approach last summer but we are pleased it means that older people can look ahead to the coming winter with more confidence. This will be a huge relief to many of them and to us at Age UK too."

"There's certainly a lot more for us to do as a country to tackle the scourge of fuel poverty, something that impacts people of all ages, including too many families with children and disabled people of working age, among others, but today rights a wrong and marks a start. We hope the Government will build on it.

"We would like to express our gratitude to the hundreds of thousands of people who signed petitions, wrote to their MPs and took other action to encourage the Government to change course. You spoke, they listened."