HOW MANY OAPs WIL FREEZE THIS WINTER?

As hardship report is buried, we ask the Chancellor...

- Jonathan Walker

RACHEL Reeves has buried a report revealing the "devastating" impact of axing winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.

The Chancellor is believed to have ordered officials to draw up an assessment showing how her decision will hit vulnerable people struggling to keep homes warm. But she is refusing to make it public - or to say whether it was compiled before or after the general election.

Last night, furious MPs urged her to "come clean" about how many pensioners will go cold.

And retired police officers yesterday joined protests against the cuts and claimed the Treasury had "failed to grasp reality with this policy”.

Impact assessments are routinely published when governments cut benefits but Ms Reeves is ruling out releasing the findings - or even confirming if or when an investigation was carried out.

Furious critics claim she had either been reckless or had something to hide.

Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said: "The Chancellor has made a choice to axe winter fuel payments for vulnerable pensioners whilst delivering inflation-busting pay rises demanded by her union paymasters and refusing to clamp down on the welfare bill."

She demanded Ms Reeves "come clean" and admit exactly how many pensioners will suffer, including the number on low incomes.