Sir Keir Starmer will quell pensioners’ anger over the axing of the winter fuel payment by protecting other benefits at the Budget, it is understood.

Rachel Reeves is expected to ensure older people continue receiving free prescriptions and bus travel following concerns that scrapping these could form part of Labour’s next attack on pensioners.

This follows the Government’s decision to axe the up to £300 winter fuel allowance from around 10 million older people.

Speaking to reporters on the way to a Commonwealth summit in Samoa, Sir Keir said: “I’m not going to pre-empt that but we do want to make sure that pensi oners are properly protected, of course we do.”

MPs, campaigners and pensioners have demanded that his government U-turns on its decision to axe the winter fuel cash without warning in a bid to fill a Treasury blackhole.

Ms Reeves will take to the Commons to announce her Budget next Wednesday for the first fiscal event of this kind by a Labour Government in 15 years.

Sir Keir said the event next week will be his Party’s first opportunity to “define the way in which we will approach the economy”.

He was adamant that there was “no reason” for entrepreneurs to leave the country because of the Budget.

The Prime Minister said he was “confident” that the UK would see more businesses invest beyond the £63 billion pledged at last week’s investment summit before Christmas.

He said: “My evidence that what we are saying is attractive to investors is last Monday’s investment summit that was hugely successful.

“All the feedback back to us has been that it was very well received by a significant number of global investors.

“At that summit by the end of close of the day £63billion had come in in agreements for people with investment. That to me is clear evidence that these investors have confidence in what we are doing.

“I am confident that we will see more inward investment before Christmas to add to that £63billion.”

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said Ms Reeves’ Budget would be “unashamedly pro-business”.

He suggested no investors should be concerned about her statement in the Commons next Wednesday.

He said: “I think the PM said on the plane, no, investors shouldn’t be worried about this Budget. This Budget – this Government is prioritising growth. It’s unashamedly pro-business.

Sir Keir hopes to frame the Budget as one that will fix the foundation of the economy and rebuild the country.

He said: “Fixing the foundation means actually being absolutely clear about scrubbing this and making sure we’re onto a very, very stable footing.

The Prime Minister added: “Obviously there are other Budgets to come but this is a significant one which will set the approach, the framework if you like, and it will give a sense of how we intend to do business.

“We are going to tackle the inheritance in this budget. I’m not prepared to walk past it. I’m not prepared to put it off and that is a signal of the way I want to do business which is not to pretend our problems aren’t there, it’s to actually roll up our sleeves and deal with it.”

Sir Keir was also pressed on his definition of “working people”.

He said: “I have in mind people who go out earn their living, may have some savings, but don’t have the ability to sort of routinely write a big check if they get into difficulties.

“They’re the people uppermost in my mind when we’re making our decisions.”