Winter fuel U-turn should have come a long time ago, Reeves told

Shirley-Anne Somerville spoke after the decision was announced (Jane Barlow/PA) - (PA Wire)

The decision to reinstate the winter fuel payment should have been made “a long time ago”, Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary has said.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said on Monday that nine million pensioners will be in receipt of the payment this year after a cut was announced in the first weeks of the Labour Government last summer.