Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on making an assessment of the adequacy of Government support for (a) fuel and (b) other costs for people with sickle cell disease during winter 2022.
Answered by Edward Argar
The Government understands that people across the UK and especially the most vulnerable members of society, such as those suffering from long-term health conditions and disabilities, are worried about the rising cost of living. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to get households through this winter and the next, while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.
Depending on their specific circumstances, it is possible that people with multiple sclerosis will qualify for disability benefits. People in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20th September, to help with the extra costs disabled people are facing. The DWP has already processed around 6 million such payments.
The Government is also providing a £650 Cost of Living Payment to recipients of means-tested benefits, to support people with low incomes with the rising cost of living. Individuals in receipt of means-tested disability benefits, such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or the Universal Credit Health top up are eligible for this support.
Those suffering from sickle cell disease may also benefit from other forms of non-means tested support which the Government is providing to assist with UK households’ energy bills. The Energy Price Guarantee is a scheme that will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills this winter. This will support people with a disability who may need to use more energy due to their condition or treatment.
Secondly via the Energy Bills Support Scheme, which will provide £400 to help with domestic energy bills. All households in Council Tax bands A-D will also receive the Government-funded £150 Council Tax Rebate, which will be delivered by Local Authorities.
Lastly, to support households who need further help or who are not eligible for elements of the wider package of support, the Government is also providing an extra £500 million of local support to help with the cost of essentials, via the Household Support Fund.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the economic impact of leaving the European Union on (a) energy prices, (b) food prices, (c) footwear prices and (d) NHS funding.
Answered by Simon Clarke
It is for the Office for Budget Responsibility to provide and publish economic and fiscal forecasting. In its March Economic and Fiscal Outlook the OBR noted that higher inflation was mainly a result of increased global goods and energy prices and a tightening labour market.
It remains challenging to separate out the effects of different events. The Bank of England has also noted that the majority of the increase in inflation since the pandemic is likely due to global factors.
The government understands that people across the UK are worried about the rising cost of living. In May, we announced over £15 billion of additional cost of living support, targeted at those with the greatest need. Government support for the cost of living now totals over £37 billion this year, equivalent to 1.5% of GDP.Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce any additional measures aimed at helping pensioners to deal with inflationary pressures.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Government is providing £37 billion in cost of living support this year, including £15 billion in a new support package announced in late May. This includes extra support to help all pensioners stay warm this winter.
Households eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment will receive an extra one-off payment of £300, paid in November/December alongside the existing Winter Fuel Payment. Pensioners, as all domestic electricity customers, will see £400 off their bills from October with no need to repay, through the expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme. In addition, households in receipt of Pension Credit will receive a one-off payment of £650 in two lump sums, the first from July and the second in the autumn.
Further support for pensioners can be provided by local authorities through the Household Support Fund, which will be in place until April 2023.
Next year, the Triple Lock will apply for the State Pension. Subject to the Secretary of State’s review, pensions and other benefits will be uprated by this September’s CPI which, on current forecasts, is likely to be significantly higher than the forecast inflation rate for 2023/24.