Keir Starmer is set to perform a U-turn on his government’s controversial winter fuel payment cuts, according to the i Paper.
The paper’s chief political commentator Kitty Donaldson posted on X on Friday: “Sir Keir Starmer is poised to reverse changes to the controversial winter fuel payment cut possibly as soon as next month Talks in No 10 about abandoning the policy have accelerated this week.”
She added that insiders at Labour believed the policy, which had caused anger for many, “risks blocking news of all the Government’s achievements.
Last year, the government announced it was restricting eligibility for the payments to those who qualify for pension credit and other income-related benefits. It was hoped the cuts would save £1.4bn as nine million pensioners no longer qualified for the annual grant.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves had sold the policy as part of the government’s efforts to plug the £22bn black hole in the nation’s finances following years of Tory rule.
However, it is reported that Labour are now considering increasing the £11,500 income threshold over which pensioners are no longer eligible for the allowance, in order to bring more people into the benefit’s net.
Labour MPs and members believe the policy hurt them badly at the local elections earlier this month, where the party lost hundreds of seats – and the Runcorn by-election – to Reform UK.
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