Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he will take to ensure that the £150 one-off council tax rebate will be given directly to renters and not to their landlords, in cases where the tenant pays their council tax through their landlord and not directly.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Council Tax Energy Rebate will be paid to whoever is responsible for paying the Council Tax bill. It is for tenants and landlords to agree how the rebate is apportioned between them, reflecting their arrangements for both energy bills and council tax. In cases where landlords include just council tax within the rents they charge, and energy bills are paid separately by tenants, the savings from the Council Tax rebate should be passed on to tenants.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of renters pay their council tax directly, rather than through their landlord.
Answered by Simon Clarke
Local authorities are responsible for administering council tax and determining who is liable. The government does not hold data on the proportion of tenants that pay their council tax directly. Arrangements for paying council tax bills are a matter for tenants and landlords to agree as part of their contractual arrangements.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional financial support to households with prepayment meters in response to the energy price cap increase announced on 3 February 2022.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Government recognises many households will need support to help deal with the rising cost of energy prices and is providing support worth £9.1bn in 2022-23 including:
o A £200 discount for households delivered via their energy bill this autumn, paid back automatically over the next 5 years, spreading the increased costs of global prices over time in a way that is more manageable for households.
o A £150 non-repayable cash rebate to 80% of households to help with rising costs now, delivered as a payment from government to Local Authorities, for implementation from this April via a payment to all households in Council Tax Bands A-D.
o £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction.
Domestic energy customers will receive the discount regardless of the type of payment method. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will work closely with industry and consumer groups on how best to deliver this policy, including through a public consultation in the Spring.
We have consulted on expanding the Warm Home Discount by almost a third from 2.2m to 3m vulnerable households and increasing the rebate value to £150 each year.
The Government is also providing £3bn over this Parliament to help more than half a million lower income homes become more energy efficient, saving them £290 per year on average, including through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will increase funding to help households who have outstanding energy and electric debt.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Government recognises many households will need support to help deal with the rising cost of energy prices and is providing support worth £9.1bn in 2022-23 including:
o A £200 discount for households delivered via their energy bill this autumn, paid back automatically over the next 5 years, spreading the increased costs of global prices over time in a way that is more manageable for households.
o A £150 non-repayable cash rebate to 80% of households to help with rising costs now, delivered as a payment from government to Local Authorities, for implementation from this April via a payment to all households in Council Tax Bands A-D.
o £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction.
This is on top of wider support for vulnerable households, elderly and low-income people this winter through the Warm Home Discount (which is being expanded by a third to 3m people and increased to £150), up to £300 Winter Fuel Payment and £25 per week Cold Weather Payment, which help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes. Our £500m Household Support Fund will also help vulnerable households with the costs of essentials over the winter.
For consumers with existing debt with their energy supplier, the Government will explore how the rebate can lower their bills from October, while supporting their repayment plans, through a public consultation run by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the spring.
The Government is also providing £3bn over this Parliament to help more than half a million lower income homes become more energy efficient, saving them £290 per year on average, including through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in G7 countries on (a) strengthening and (b) extending the eligibility criteria for the Common Framework to assist debt restructuring for (i) Tonga, (ii) small island developing states and (iii) other climate vulnerable countries.
Answered by John Glen
Progress in implementing the Common Framework has been a regular feature in the Chancellor’s discussions in the G7 and G20. Recognising the need to advance existing requests for the Common Framework, in its October 2021 communique the G20 committed to step up its efforts to implement it in a timely, orderly and coordinated manner.
73 of the world’s poorest countries, including Tonga and a number of other small island states and climate vulnerable countries, are currently eligible for the G20 and Paris Club’s Common Framework. The UK is open to options to strengthen and extend the Common Framework noting that any decisions would require agreement of the full G20.
Countries that are ineligible for the Common Framework may still apply for a debt treatment from the Paris Club. The UK is a longstanding member of the Paris Club and has a strong record of working with international partners to assist countries on their road to longer-term debt sustainability.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional financial assistance to hospital and GP practices to cover the increased gas and electric costs once the Ofgem energy cap rises in April 2022.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Energy Price Cap is set by the independent regulator, Ofgem, and only applies to consumer bills rather than businesses and public services.
There is existing Government funding in place to support public services.
The Government spent around £3.6bn in 2020-21 in early education entitlements and the government continues to support families with their childcare costs. At Spending Review 2021, the Chancellor announced an uplift of £170 million by 2024-25 to increase the hourly rate paid by providers to deliver the government’s free hours offers. This builds on the £44 million increase at SR20.
Eligible nurseries may also qualify for nurseries discount as part of the governments Business Rates Relief, if the business is on Ofsted’s Early Years Register and the premises is wholly or mainly used to provide the Early Years Foundation Stage of education. Further detail on this can be found here: Business rates relief: Nurseries discount - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Overall, core schools funding is increasing by £4 billion in 2022-23 – a 5% increase in real terms per pupil from 2021-22.
The NHS is the Government's key spending priority and that is why it has committed to a historic settlement that provides a cash increase of £33.9 billion a year by 2023-24. This takes the NHS budget from £114.6 billion in 2018-19 to over £160 billion in 2024-25. The Government has made significant additional investments in the health and care system to respond to COVID-19. For 2021-22 the Government has so far approved £34 billion for frontline health services, including £15 billion of day-to-day funding for the NHS.
The Government provided an unprecedented multi-billion-pound package of support for Britain's charities during the pandemic, including £750 million of dedicated funding that has helped more than 15,000 organisations across the country respond to the impact of Covid-19.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional financial assistance to charitable organisations, registered with the Charity Commission, to cover the increased gas and electric costs when the Ofgem energy cap is due to increase from April 2022.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Energy Price Cap is set by the independent regulator, Ofgem, and only applies to consumer bills rather than businesses and public services.
There is existing Government funding in place to support public services.
The Government spent around £3.6bn in 2020-21 in early education entitlements and the government continues to support families with their childcare costs. At Spending Review 2021, the Chancellor announced an uplift of £170 million by 2024-25 to increase the hourly rate paid by providers to deliver the government’s free hours offers. This builds on the £44 million increase at SR20.
Eligible nurseries may also qualify for nurseries discount as part of the governments Business Rates Relief, if the business is on Ofsted’s Early Years Register and the premises is wholly or mainly used to provide the Early Years Foundation Stage of education. Further detail on this can be found here: Business rates relief: Nurseries discount - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Overall, core schools funding is increasing by £4 billion in 2022-23 – a 5% increase in real terms per pupil from 2021-22.
The NHS is the Government's key spending priority and that is why it has committed to a historic settlement that provides a cash increase of £33.9 billion a year by 2023-24. This takes the NHS budget from £114.6 billion in 2018-19 to over £160 billion in 2024-25. The Government has made significant additional investments in the health and care system to respond to COVID-19. For 2021-22 the Government has so far approved £34 billion for frontline health services, including £15 billion of day-to-day funding for the NHS.
The Government provided an unprecedented multi-billion-pound package of support for Britain's charities during the pandemic, including £750 million of dedicated funding that has helped more than 15,000 organisations across the country respond to the impact of Covid-19.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional financial assistance to nurseries and early years education centres to cover the increased gas and electric costs when the Ofgem energy cap is due to increase in April 2022.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Energy Price Cap is set by the independent regulator, Ofgem, and only applies to consumer bills rather than businesses and public services.
There is existing Government funding in place to support public services.
The Government spent around £3.6bn in 2020-21 in early education entitlements and the government continues to support families with their childcare costs. At Spending Review 2021, the Chancellor announced an uplift of £170 million by 2024-25 to increase the hourly rate paid by providers to deliver the government’s free hours offers. This builds on the £44 million increase at SR20.
Eligible nurseries may also qualify for nurseries discount as part of the governments Business Rates Relief, if the business is on Ofsted’s Early Years Register and the premises is wholly or mainly used to provide the Early Years Foundation Stage of education. Further detail on this can be found here: Business rates relief: Nurseries discount - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Overall, core schools funding is increasing by £4 billion in 2022-23 – a 5% increase in real terms per pupil from 2021-22.
The NHS is the Government's key spending priority and that is why it has committed to a historic settlement that provides a cash increase of £33.9 billion a year by 2023-24. This takes the NHS budget from £114.6 billion in 2018-19 to over £160 billion in 2024-25. The Government has made significant additional investments in the health and care system to respond to COVID-19. For 2021-22 the Government has so far approved £34 billion for frontline health services, including £15 billion of day-to-day funding for the NHS.
The Government provided an unprecedented multi-billion-pound package of support for Britain's charities during the pandemic, including £750 million of dedicated funding that has helped more than 15,000 organisations across the country respond to the impact of Covid-19.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional financial assistance to primary and secondary schools to cover increased gas and electric costs once the Ofgem energy cap rises in April 2022.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Energy Price Cap is set by the independent regulator, Ofgem, and only applies to consumer bills rather than businesses and public services.
There is existing Government funding in place to support public services.
The Government spent around £3.6bn in 2020-21 in early education entitlements and the government continues to support families with their childcare costs. At Spending Review 2021, the Chancellor announced an uplift of £170 million by 2024-25 to increase the hourly rate paid by providers to deliver the government’s free hours offers. This builds on the £44 million increase at SR20.
Eligible nurseries may also qualify for nurseries discount as part of the governments Business Rates Relief, if the business is on Ofsted’s Early Years Register and the premises is wholly or mainly used to provide the Early Years Foundation Stage of education. Further detail on this can be found here: Business rates relief: Nurseries discount - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Overall, core schools funding is increasing by £4 billion in 2022-23 – a 5% increase in real terms per pupil from 2021-22.
The NHS is the Government's key spending priority and that is why it has committed to a historic settlement that provides a cash increase of £33.9 billion a year by 2023-24. This takes the NHS budget from £114.6 billion in 2018-19 to over £160 billion in 2024-25. The Government has made significant additional investments in the health and care system to respond to COVID-19. For 2021-22 the Government has so far approved £34 billion for frontline health services, including £15 billion of day-to-day funding for the NHS.
The Government provided an unprecedented multi-billion-pound package of support for Britain's charities during the pandemic, including £750 million of dedicated funding that has helped more than 15,000 organisations across the country respond to the impact of Covid-19.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide separate additional funding to (a) households with children under the age of 18, (b) households with expectant mothers and (c) pensioners to help with the increase in gas and electric costs, in response to Ofgem's energy cap increase.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Government recognises many households will need support to help deal with the rising cost of energy prices. Therefore, we are providing support worth £9.1bn in 2022-23 composed of:
A £200 discount for households delivered via their energy bill this autumn, paid back automatically over the next 5 years, spreading the increased costs of global prices over time in a way that is more manageable for households.
A £150 non-repayable cash rebate to 80% of households to help with rising costs now, delivered as a payment from government to Local Authorities, for implementation from this April via a payment to all households in Council Tax Bands A-D.
£144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction.
There is also our £500m Household Support Fund which will help vulnerable households, including pensioners, with the costs of essentials this winter – local authorities will ensure it reaches those who need it most, and 50% of the funding is ringfenced for households with children.
This is on top of wider support available for vulnerable households, elderly and low-income people this winter. These schemes include the Warm Home Discount, which is being expanded to 3m people and increased to £150, up to £300 Winter Fuel Payment for all households with at least one member above State Pension age and a £25 per week Cold Weather Payment. These measures will help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the winter.
In addition to these measures, we’re also providing £3bn over this Parliament to help more than half a million lower income homes become more energy efficient, saving them £290 per year on average.