The Labour leadership has lost a union-sponsored motion at the party’s conference that called on ministers to reverse the cuts to winter fuel payments.
The Government has axed the payments for an estimated 10 million pensioners in a bid to reduce a £22bn ‘black hole’ in the country's finances.
Members of Unite and the Communications Workers Union co-sponsored the non-binding motion calling for a reversal of the cut.
Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite, criticised the Prime Minister for removing the allowance while ‘leaving the super-rich untouched’.
Councils have been working to help older people keep their homes warm in response to the cut.
