The British government say it is reversing its unpopular plan to end winter home heating subsidies for millions of retirees
LONDON — The British government on Monday reversed its unpopular plan to end winter home heating subsidies for millions of retirees.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had signaled the u-turn last month after a loud outcry from the public and some members of his Labour Party who thought the relatively modest 1.5 billion-pound ($2 billion) savings were too politically costly.
Treasury chief Rachel Reeves, who canceled the payment for home heating on all but the poorest retirees after Labour came to power last summer, said the benefit would be restored to 9 million people, or three-quarters of pensioners, in England and Wales whose incomes are below 35,000 pounds ($47,500). Reeves said the move was necessary last year because the previous Conservative government had left public finances in a dire state.
“Targeting winter fuel payments was a tough decision, but the right decision because of the inheritance we had been left by the prev