Millions of pensioners will lose winter fuel payments as government wins vote on cut

MPs have voted to cut the winter fuel payment for all but the country’s poorest pensioners.

A Tory move to block the measure was defeated by 348 to 228 votes – a majority of 120.

Labour has a working majority in the Commons of 167.

Politics Live: Starmer defends winter fuel payment cut in speech

The division list showed Labour MP Jon Trickett was the only rebel to support the Conservative motion, while no vote was recorded for 52 other Labour MPs.

This does not automatically equate to an abstention for each MP as they may have received permission to miss a vote.

Shouts of “shame” could be heard in the House of Commons chamber as the result was announced.

The cut means that from this winter only those claiming pension credit or other means-tested benefits will receive help with their fuel bills, whereas previously the allowance was available to anyone over the age of 66.

The move is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the up to £300 payment by 10 million, from 11.4 million to 1.5 million, saving the exchequer around £1.4bn this year.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the squeeze in July as part of a series of measures to fill a “£22bn black hole” in the public finances.

Winter fuel payment: Are you still eligible?

However, some MPs from Labour’s side, as well as charities and opposition MPs, have been calling for a U-turn, saying the policy will leave less well-off pensioners with “a heart-breaking choice between heating and eating this winter”.

Mr Trickett, who was in the shadow cabinet during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, said he voted against his government because he was concerned about more pensioners falling into poverty.

In a statement on X, he said: “This winter will be extremely difficult for my constituents of all ages. After years of obscene profiteering by energy companies, they are hiking bills once again.”

He said that pensioner poverty “can be a matter of life and death” and he has worked “behind the scenes to try and change the government’s position, but to no avail”.

“I could not in good conscience vote to make my constituents poorer,” he added.

Other Labour MPs who spoke out against the cut include Rachel Maskell, who said pensioners will be “frightened” to turn on the lights in case they cannot pay their bills, and Debbie Abrahams, who said many of her party’s measures to ease costs on households would not be in place for this winter.

Ultimately Ms Maskell abstained from the vote, while Ms Abrahams voted with the government despite her criticism.

Mr Trickett’s rebellion means he could be suspended from Labour given the vote was subject to a three-line whip, which means MPs should vote according to their party’s position.

In July seven Labour MPs were suspended for voting against the government over Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Of those now independent MPs, five voted with the Tories, including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell.

Two others, Imran Hussain and Rebecca Long-Bailey, abstained.

Winter fuel backlash shows Starmer’s honeymoon is over

The tension between “economic stability and tough choices” versus austerity is only going to grow as we head into the budget and beyond.

Sir Keir won the vote on withdrawing winter fuel allowance, but 52 MPs abstained.

That tells you all you need to know – that these divisions are opening up so soon after that massive landslide.

Number 10 does not appear to want to fan the flames any further, with dozens of MPs slipped – sources in government are keen to stress there were but a dozen unauthorised abstentions – to avoid the vote entirely.

But a “change government”, beset by infighting from the off, is not the impression this prime minister wants to give the country.

‘Avoiding scrutiny’

Mel Stride, the Conservative shadow pensions secretary, called the policy “absurd” and said it will “cause untold hardship to millions”.

He accused Labour of “avoiding proper scrutiny” by failing to produce an impact assessment, and of “rushing through” the measure “in the hope that the country will have forgotten by the time of the next general election”.

“This has nothing to do with fiscal responsibility and everything to do with political expediency,” he said as he opened a Commons debate on the policy ahead of the vote.

Since taking office in July, Labour have insisted the state of the public finances is even worse than they were expecting, requiring “difficult choices”.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced down critics as he told union members gathered at the TUC conference in Brighton that he “owes working people the respect of economic stability” and makes “no apologies for any of the decisions we’ve had to take to begin the work of change”.

In defending the winter fuel cut, ministers have also pointed to their commitment to maintain the triple lock.

This guarantees the state pension will rise each year by the highest of either inflation, wage increases or 2.5%.

Ms Reeves wrote in The Telegraph on Monday that the Treasury estimates maintaining the triple lock will make a state pension worth around £1,700 more by 2029.

Source Agencies