The Work and Pensions Secretary has declined to put a figure on how many pensioners the Government thinks could die this winter as a result of fuel payment changes.

When asked by her Conservative shadow Mel Stride about “premature deaths”, Liz Kendall instead suggested the Tories should “apologise” for facilitating an extra 200,000 pensioners into poverty.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesman Steve Darling said Ms Kendall was “quite right how the previous government let (pensioners) down” but said slimming down the previously universal payments scheme added “insult to injury”.

The Government has ended the universal scheme and will instead issue winter fuel payments of up to £300 to pensioners who receive some means-tested benefits, including pension credit and universal credit.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Mr Stride pointed to Labour research from 2017, when his party mooted a means-tested winter fuel payment system in its manifesto, which suggested almost 4,000 pensioners would die as a result of the policy.

He asked: “Does (Ms Kendall) stand by that figure of around 4,000, if not, how many premature deaths does she believe will occur as a result of this policy?”

The Cabinet minister said: “In 2017, his party’s manifesto promised to means-test winter fuel payments.

This was not a decision that we wanted or expected to make. The reason we have done it is that we have to deal with the £22 billion black hole in the public finances left by members opposite

“So I would just say to (Mr Stride), until party members opposite know that they have to apologise to the British people for the 200,000 extra pensioners in poverty over the last 14 years, and for a £22 billion black hole in the public finances, which we are now putting right, which has put the public finances at risk, they will remain on those seats and we will remain on these.”

Ms Kendall said she would be “happy to put those figures in the public debate” which highlight an extra 200,000 pensioners in poverty.

Mr Stride later said the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Treasury published impact assessments into the policy change on September 13, responses to Freedom of Information requests, just three days after a Commons debate on the winter fuel payment.

The DWP found 83% of pensioners aged over 80 would lose out on the payments.

“We published an equality analysis,” Ms Kendall told MPs.

“This Government will be open and transparent, and that’s what we’re already doing.”

Mr Darling told the Commons: “There are 2.7 million pensioners who are over the age of 80 and would be benefiting from the £300 winter fuel allowance. These are amongst the most vulnerable in our society and you’re quite right how the previous government let them down.

“But let us not add insult to injury and the new Government let them down.”

Mr Darling added: “Can you reassure us that you will reverse from this regressive approach that you have taken with the winter fuel allowance and not hit the most vulnerable who are over 80?”

Ms Kendall said: “He will know that this was not a decision that we wanted or expected to make.

“The reason we have done it is that we have to deal with the £22 billion black hole in the public finances left by members opposite, but in doing so we will, as a progressive party, always prioritise the very poorest pensioners and that is why we are so determined to end a situation where up to 880,000 miss out on winter fuel because they are not getting pension credit, and we are determined to put that right.”