PENSIONERS will see any energy bill savings from emergency government support wiped out by the Tories’ real-terms cut to the state pension, Labour warned today.

The party said that its analysis shows spiralling inflation and a decision from ministers to increase the basic state pension by just 3.1 per cent means the retired will have £222 less to spend in 2022-23. 

Couples will be hit even harder, Labour stressed, with payments worth £355 less when adjusted for rising prices. 

The loss is greater than the amount ministers are providing households to reduce their energy bills as costs skyrocket due to soaring wholesale gas prices, the party highlighted.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak last week announced a repayable £200 discount on bills for homes across Britain and a further £150 council tax rebate for most households in England. 

Labour said that its plan to reduce energy bills would raise money to keep bills low through a one-off windfall tax on oil and gas profits, saving typical households £200.

The poorest would get £600 under this proposal, the party claimed.

This would be nearly double the support announced by Mr Sunak.

A motion to approve the government’s plans for a real-terms cut to the basic state pension by abandoning triple lock manifesto commitments amid wage distortion during the pandemic is set to be voted on by MPs on Monday.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “The Tory cost-of-living crisis is set to hammer pensioners hard.

“This real-terms [pensions] cut on top of rocketing heating bills, price rises and cuts to other support means thousands of pensioners face a tough, bleak year with impossible choices between heating or eating.

“With pensioners’ poverty on the increase this is a shameful way to treat those who have contributed so much to our country.

“Labour will always stand up for pensioners, guaranteeing older people the security, prosperity and respect they deserve.”

National Pensioners’ Convention general secretary Jan Shortt said that Tory ministers had “betrayed” the retired and blasted Mr Sunak’s support scheme as “too little, too late.”

She told the Morning Star: “The package is ill-conceived, under-par and will certainly not give older people the comfort of knowing they will not go cold or hungry this winter.

“He must do much better if we are to believe that this government wants to ‘protect pensioners’ – fine words, but their actions speak louder.”

The Treasury was contacted for comment.