The vote in the House of Commons came after the Tories attempted to force Keir Starmer into a U-turn over the controversial policy announced last month.

It means only those who receive Pension Credit will be eligible for the £300 payment this winter.

(Image: PA)

Following speculation some MPs could rebel, in the end, the Government won the vote comfortably by 348 to 227 on Tuesday afternoon.


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One Labour MP voted with the Conservatives and 52 did not vote.

The Tories, LibDems, Reform and SNP MPs backed the motion which would have told the Government to annul the means-testing plan and continue to provide the benefit to all pensioners.

All of the Glasgow MPs, Zubir Ahmed, Maureen Burke, Patricia Ferguson, John Grady, Gordon McKee and Martin Rhodes backed the Prime Minister and voted against the motion and in favour of means testing the payment.

Older people’s organisations were disappointed and said it was unfair to take away the payment from millions of people when bills are rising.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said: “We’re deeply disappointed, but not surprised, that the vote to brutally means-test WFP was passed today.

“As soon as the Government announced it was instructing its MPs to support it this was the inevitable result, but we would like to thank all those in every party who voted against the policy or abstained.”

 “There’s been a lot of discussion about the Government’s decision, but at heart Age UK’s critique of their policy is really simple: we just don’t think it’s fair to remove the payment from the 2.5 million pensioners on low incomes who badly need it, and to do it so quickly this winter, at the same time as energy bills are rising by 10%.”


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Others said it will force older people to cut back on essentials.

Joanna Elson, Independent Age Chief Executive, said: “People in later life living in financial hardship will be rightly concerned that, despite mounting public pressure about the impact on older people on the lowest incomes, the UK Government will continue with its plans to means test the Winter Fuel Payment from this year.  

“It’s clear that making this decision now means many people in later life struggling in poverty will be forced to make dangerous cutbacks.”





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