Henry Smith MP welcomes extra £15 billion package of support to help families across Crawley with rising costs and energy bills

Due to a series of global forces, families and businesses are being hit with everyday price rises – to tackle these price rises the Government have outlined their priority to help the millions of families struggling with the cost of living.

The £37 billion package of support includes doubling the October £200 rebate to £400 – and turning this tranche of support to a non-repayable grant, supporting eight million vulnerable households with a £650 cost of living payment, helping eight million pensioner households with a £300 cost of living payment and supporting six million people on disability benefits with a £150 cost of living payment.

This support builds on a £22 billion package of support already in place to help families combat global cost of living pressures including global economies reopening following the pandemic, Putin’s war in Ukraine, and a fresh wave of lockdowns in China.

Mr Smith said: “I know families across Crawley are struggling with rising costs driven by global pressures and rising energy prices.

“That is why I welcome the Chancellor’s Plan, setting out a further £15 billion of support – bringing the total cost of living package to £37 billion – supporting the most vulnerable in Crawley with up to £1,200 per household and directly boosting support for pensioners.

“This timely and targeted support will help those most in need whilst the boosted cash grant of £400 will support families across the board who need support with their bills.”

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, added: “We know that people are facing challenges with the cost of living and that is why today I’m stepping in with further support to help with rising energy bills.

“We have a collective responsibility to help those who are paying the highest price for the high inflation we face. That is why I’m targeting this significant support to millions of the most vulnerable people in our society. I said we would stand by people and that is what this support does today.

“It is also right that those companies making extraordinary profits on the back of record global oil and gas prices contribute towards this. That is why I’m introducing a temporary Energy Profits Levy to help pay for this unprecedented package, which includes the new Investment Allowance to incentivise companies to reinvest their profits.”

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