How your South Tyneside MPs voted in Winter Fuel Payment cut vote - as elderly to lose £300

The payment is a lifeline to many of the poorest in our communities, and thousands across South Tyneside will be impacted by this latest government move.

Today, MPs have voted to cut the winter fuel payment, in a move that will hurt all but the country's poorest pensioners.

The Conservatives put forward a proposal to block the cutting of the payment, which was voted on by MPs at the Houses of Parliament, but that was defeated by a majority of 120.

There were 348 votes cast pushing for the cut proposal to remain, while 228 voted against.

Winter fuel payment - what is it & the controversy?

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in July that part of a move to cut what was said to be a £22billion "black hole" in public finances, all pensioners would no longer get their £300 winter payment, which is to help with heating their homes.

Now that it has passed through parliament, the number of pensioners who get the grant will be cut by just under 10 million. Previously around 11.4 million elderly got the money, with the figure now dropping to 1.5million.

The move is set to save the government around £1.4billion this year.

So, this winter only people claiming pension credit or other means-tested benefits, over the age of 66, will get help with fuel bills.

How did your MPs vote?

Cries of “shame” could be heard by members in parliament as the vote result was read out. It has also been reported that Reeves left the chamber with a smile on her face.

We have two MPs on patch, our South Shields representative Emma Lewell-Buck and also Jarrow and Gateshead East MP, Kate Osborne. Both are, as you will know, Labour MPs who were re-elected to their constituencies in May this year.

Both Lewell-Buck and Osborne, who we understand were present at the vote in the capital, were listed as ‘no vote recorded’. They were two of 71 who did not register their vote on the matter.

Not recording a vote can be for any number of reasons. The Speaker and deputies cannot vote because of the impartiality of the chair, and Sinn Féin Members have an absentionist policy. Any Member may wish to abstain, or have a procedural reason for not voting. Members can be absent carrying out constituency or ministerial business, or be unable to attend for other reasons.