Millions of UK pensioners to lose winter fuel payments

LONDON (Reuters) - Millions of British pensioners will lose an annual winter fuel payment, which was worth up to 600 pounds ($771) last winter, if they do not receive other benefits such as pension credit, finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Monday.

Reeves, who set out spending cuts after accusing the former Conservative government of covering up the state of public finances, said the move would save 1.5 billion pounds a year.

Around 11.5 million pensioners received the payments last winter, the government previously said.

($1 = 0.7781 pounds)

(Reporting by Paul Sandle, editing by Andy Bruce)