The UK government plans to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners, affecting around 10 million people. This decision has sparked significant backlash from Labour MPs and charities, who warn it could lead to increased hardship and health risks for vulnerable elderly individuals. A parliamentary vote is scheduled for Tuesday.
The decision to cut winter fuel payments was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in July, citing a £22 billion black hole in public finances left by the previous Conservative government. The new policy means only pensioners receiving Pension Credit will qualify for the payments, which were previously universal.
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Sir Keir Rodney Starmer KCB QC MP is a British politician and former lawyer who has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 2020. He has been Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015.
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Rachel Jane Reeves is a British Labour Party politician serving as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office since 2020. She has been the Member of Parliament for Leeds West since 2010.
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The Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom that has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists.
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the northwestern coast of the European mainland.
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