Cameron Brown also said officials had pushed for means-testing the winter fuel allowance for years before Chancellor Rachel Reeves agreed to it.
Mr Brown revealed the Treasury has a list of money-saving measures it puts before new Chancellors.
He said: "I've seen it...it would make your blood run cold.
"Right at the top is increasing fuel duty...they hate the fact that we have frozen fuel duty now for, I think, 13 years in a row - which is fantastic for drivers but for the Treasury it's just like we have lost billions and billions of pounds.
"Second is the winter fuel payments, making that means-tested. That was always put to us as an option to save money.
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