The Government has announced that money to help pensioners pay their energy bills will now be awarded to those earning £35,000 or less, after initially restricting the payment to those on pension credit only.
But analysis from former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb suggests that the number of retirees missing out on the payment is set to increase by the end of the decade.
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Means-testing the winter fuel payment was only expected to save £1.45bn overall in 2024/25, and was not expected to save £1.7bn until 2029/30.
He said the fact that the Government expects the policy to eventually yield £450m suggests that the number of “losers” is expected to grow.
Taking into account older couples and single pensioners who will lose £200 or £300, the average loss is expected to be in the range of £150 to £200.
He said: “The Government’s own figures clearly suggest that they expect the number of losers from the new policy to rise each year.
“With around two million pensioners currently over the £35,000 threshold, this number could easily rise by another half a million by 2030. This could end up being another way in which governments use inflation to quietly raise additional revenue year by year.
The new payment system has come under some criticism from experts for unfairness.
The way the payments have been designed means that eligibility is partly down to individual income, so some couples could still receive some money even if collectively they earn very high incomes.
HM Treasury was contacted for comment.
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