Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support working parents with rising household costs.

The Government recognises that everyday costs remain too high for many households, including working parents. This is why, at the Budget, the Government took action to bear down on prices and help cut cost of living pressures by targeting everyday expenses.

This includes taking an average of £150 off household energy bills from April 2026, expanding the £150 Warm Home Discount to six million lower-income households, freezing regulated rail fares and NHS prescription fees for one year, and extending the 5p fuel duty cut until the end of August 2026.

The Government is also committed to making renting easier and more affordable. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will strengthen protections for private renters and help tenants challenge unreasonable rent increases.

Alongside this, the Government is supporting working families by removing the two-child limit in Universal Credit, increasing the National Living Wage to £12.71 per hour from April 2026, extending the £3 bus cap to March 2027, expanding free breakfast clubs, widening free school meals eligibility, and increasing support with childcare costs through Universal Credit.

The Bank of England has cut Bank Rate six times since the election as inflationary pressures have eased, helping to reduce borrowing costs for households.