Laura Marcus had several sleepless nights when Rachel Reeves announced winter fuel payments would be scrapped for some pensioners because she was so upset.

The former charity worker, 68, described how she does not have the option of turning her heating down this winter with her musician husband John Waterhouse, 73, having Parkinson’s.

When asked how she felt after hearing Ms Reeves’ decision, Laura said: “I was really shocked and I was really, really upset.

“I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t get a full night’s sleep for ages afterwards because I was lying there thinking ‘what am I gonna do?’

I’ll probably end up going overdrawn and that’s going to cost me money. It costs money to be overdrawn. I can’t think of any other way I can do it because I expected that money.

“I honestly feel like someone’s reached into my handbag, ripped my purse out of my hands and taken the money out of it. That’s what it feels like. It’s horrible.”

The couple, who live in the Peak District, do not qualify for pension credit forcing them to ditch the little discretionary spend they could.

Laura receives the full state pension at £221 a week while John does not.

She said: “We won’t eat less. We’re not gonna starve, but we won’t eat as well.

“We won’t be able to have treats. We’ll just have to make life a little bit more miserable, especially around Christmas time. It’s just not going to be a lot of fun.”