This blog is now closed. You can read our full report here:Full report: ‘Time has come’ to cut US interest rates, says PowellMartin Lewis has said he is due to meet Rachel Reeves in a couple of weeks, and that he will raise his proposal with the chancellor then.The main advantage of his proposal to re-extend winter fuel payments by council tax band is that it could be rolled out quickly, Lewis said.It’s an imperfect solution, but it is a workable, quick solution.The key for me is it’s fine to drop universality, but we’ve gone from everyone having it to just the poorest pensioners on the very lowest incomes. As always it’s those just above the threshold that miss out. We need to look at a broader eligibility criteria if we are going to means test it.I think the government should rethink getting rid of the winter fuel payment in the way it has done so.While I agree there’s a very strong argument for getting rid of the universal winter fuel payment, I think the eligibility criteria is far too narrow. Continue reading...