Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has defended the government’s decision to cut winter fuel payments, stating it aims to prioritize funding for essential public services like the NHS and schools. The change restricts eligibility for the payments, worth up to £300, to those on pension credit, potentially pushing 100,000 pensioners into poverty by 2026. Starmer emphasized the need for difficult financial decisions citing a challenging economy and undisclosed debts that the government inherited.