Dealing with cost of living pressures in Stoke-on-Trent Central

MP Gareth Snell welcomes measures to ease cost of living pressures

A raft of new measures introduced by the Labour government come into force yesterday. These measure will see wages go up, bills come down, and more support for those who need it most in Stoke-on-Trent.

Measures coming into force today, benefitting families across Stoke-on-Trent, include:

• Increasing the National Living wage to £12.71 – a £900 pay rise for some of the lowest earners, and a boost to 2.4 million workers nationally

• Increasing the National Minimum Wage to £10.85 – a £1,500 boost for over 200,000 young workers across the country

• Cutting energy bills by an average £117 a year for millions across the UK – locked in until end of June

• A freeze on prescription prices so locals aren’t spending more than a tenner on their medicines.

This follows the update the Prime Minister made earlier this month which set out five steps that were already in place to help with the cost of living. These were:

1. Cutting the energy price cap until the end of June – thanks to last year’s Budget

2. The Chancellor’s decision to extend the cut in fuel duty until this September

3. £53 million for households that are most exposed to heating oil rises

4. Building Britain’s energy security and independence

5. Ongoing work towards a swift resolution of the situation in the Middle East.

The cut to the energy price cap comes on top of the £150 Warm Home Discount that around 6 million families will have received this winter, following its expansion last year – and eligible billpayers will continue to receive this support every winter for the rest of the decade.

Gareth said “The cost of living continues to place pressure on households across the country, and many people are still feeling the impact of higher prices, especially with the spiralling fuel costs as a result of the war in Iran. I am proud that my party has introduced a range of measures to tackle these pressures and support families.

“These steps, include wage and pension increases and measures to curtail the rising cost of energy bills. While challenges remain, these actions are essential and come at a crucial time to provide practical help to those most affected. These actions are vital and come at a crucial moment, offering much‑needed practical support to those who are feeling the greatest pressure.”