内容摘要：Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the guidance aimed to "cut workloads".

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the guidance aimed to "cut workloads".

"Because of changes we've made and the stability we've brought back to the economy, we are able to increase that amount."The government said the increased threshold for those eligible for winter fuel payments meant "no lower or middle-income pensioners will miss out".

Eligible households with a person under 80 automatically receive £200 a year in November or December, while homes with a person over 80 receive £300.The payments are halved if one household has two pensioners living together. If one of them earns more than £35,000 and the other earns less than £35,000, the higher-income pensioner will not receive any payment and the lower-income pensioner will receive half the payment.Pensioners above the £35,000 annual income threshold, which the Treasury said was "broadly in line with average earnings", will have the payment automatically recovered or be able to opt out. This will apply to about two million people.

The policy U-turn, which will see the overwhelming majority of those who missed out on payments last winter receive them, will now cost some £1.25bn to taxpayers per year.The original cut to universal winter fuel payments last year had been estimated to save £1.7bn.

Concerns had been raised among charities and some MPs over the government's previous policy to stop payments to some nine million people, particularly around those whose income was slightly too high to qualify, but were hit by the loss of the payment as energy costs remained expensive.

The government said its new means-testing requirements would now save around £450m.By the time they return to the USA, travel restrictions on Venezuelans will be in place. It is not clear whether the three, and other athletes employed by US teams across all sports, will be allowed to return after travelling abroad to compete or visit family.

The involvement of seven top Afghan cricketers in Major League Cricket is also uncertain. An MLC spokesperson told BBC Sport they were "continuing to monitor the situation and are working with the relevant authorities to minimise travel disruptions for overseas players. We continue to attract some of the best players from around the world to come over to the US to showcase their talent."The BBC has contacted the NBA, MLB and MLS.

During his first term in office, Trump enacted a sweeping travel ban on some countries, most of which had majority Muslim populations. At the time, the MLS Players Union said it was "deepy concerned" about members that may be impacted and that it was "extremely disappointed".Trump's anti-immigration policies have also prevented some athletes from other nations taking part in scheduled events held in the USA.