PEERS are reportedly demanding their £323 daily allowance to log in to virtual parliamentary sessions from the comfort of their own homes.

Video conferencing has been set up in The House of Lords so ageing members don't have to attend the Palace of Westminster during the coronavirus pandemic

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However, the Telegraph reports some peers are worried that means they will miss out on their daily attendance allowance – which can top £48,000 a year.

To pick up that tax-free payout they normally have to physically attend the 150 days the upper chamber typically sits each year.

They can also normally claim travel expenses and make use of Westminster's multiple subsidised restaurant and bars.

However, as the average age of a peer is 70 many are having to self-isolate in line with the Government's COVID-19 guidance.

At the moment the regulations state peers should not receive their attendance allowance for 'proceedings' and only for physical 'sittings'.

This has reportedly not gone down well with some of the upper house's older members.

One insider told the Telegraph: "A lot of them are elderly and so cannot attend due to the rules on self-isolating but are using terms like age discrimination.

"They are agitating to be paid and there is going to be pressure on getting clarification of the situation if this situation is going to continue in the long run."

A virtual parliament was set up in a bid to keep Britain running and MPs are meeting up online to stop them breaching social distancing rules.

However, the Sun Online reported how the parliamentary authorities sparked outrage after offering MPs an extra £10,000 to cover the costs of working from home for them and their staff during the crisis.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority issued updated guidance which states every MP can access the additional cash to boost their office budget to pay for things like laptops for staff and electricity.

In addition, the monthly credit limit for MPs has been increased to £10,000, a 90 day limit on expenses claims has been suspended and rules on the evidence needed for costs to be reimbursed have been relaxed.

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The move by the expenses watchdog has been described as 'crude' by critics amid concerns that the updated system and extra cash could be open to abuse.

Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, hit out at the decision and said: "It seems to me a very crude approach.

"I think the public may be slightly puzzled as to why what looks like a generous payment of this nature has been made without first doing a bit more research into what the actual costs are."

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