BORIS Johnson narrowly received backing for social care reforms after a vote in the Commons last night.

Several Conservatives did not vote on the Health and Care Bill, which will stop council support payments counting towards the new £86,000 cap on lifetime care costs.

The Prime Minister narrowly succeeded in getting MPs to back his new policy to cap care costs in England on Monday evening, which some senior Tories declined to support amid criticism the plans were being watered down.

Ministers were unable to say whether the change to the £86,000 cap on care costs would fulfil an election pledge to guarantee no-one would have to sell their home to pay for care.

Backbench Tory critics joined experts and Labour MPs in warning the move to count only individual payments towards the cap, and not local authority contributions, would cost poorer recipients more in assets than the wealthy.

The Government worked to see off a potential defeat in the Commons and MPs backed the amendment 272 votes to 246, giving a majority of 26.

MPs have another opportunity to debate the amended Health and Care Bill today before it is expected to receive extended scrutiny in the House of Lords.

How Dorset and Hampshire MPs voted:

For:

  • Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West
  • Simon Hoare, MP for East Dorset
  • Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset
  • Sir Desmond Swayne, MP for New Forest West
  • Sir Robert Syms, MP for Poole
  • Michael Tomlinson, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole

Against:

  • Dr Julian Lewis, MP for New Forest East

Did not vote:

  • Sir Christopher Chope, MP for Christchurch
  • Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset
  • Tobias Ellwood, MP for Bournemouth East

Mr Johnson defended the plans as “incredibly generous” and “much better than the existing system” during a speech at the annual CBI conference earlier in the day.