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Questions Mel Stride about steps to reduce the lag between benefit uprating announcements and their implementation in April.
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Praises the household support fund for its flexibility and effectiveness in providing immediate assistance to those in need. Asks if this model will be taken forward.
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Asks for a comment on the disability employment gap, highlighting policy concerns around disparities in employment opportunities for disabled individuals.
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Questions Stride about eligibility criteria and proposes using a two-month period instead of one to reduce anomalies, suggesting this could benefit those who receive payments less frequently.
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Ashworth criticises the inadequacy of Government measures such as freezing housing allowance rates, childcare allowances in universal credit, and not fully covering district heating schemes under the energy price cap. He also points out that the cost-of-living payment does not distinguish between large families and single-person households, disproportionately affecting larger households with higher spending needs.
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Evans interjected to ask Ashworth about Labour's plan for maintaining the energy price cap, inquiring about the cost implications and duration of such a policy.
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Welcomes the Bill, supporting additional support for people with high energy bills and inflationary costs. Agrees that making this support available is essential and important but suggests that temporarily increasing Universal Credit might have been more effective in providing higher payments to those most affected by reduced benefits and higher energy bills. Emphasises the importance of a tapering system linked to income to avoid behavioural issues such as reducing working hours due to benefit reductions. Recommends tweaking the Bill to ensure people who receive 1p during the assessment period qualify for £300 payments, which would fix issues for those paid four-weekly or with one-off bonuses affecting their eligibility.
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David Linden supports the broad thrust of the bill but calls for further action to address structural issues. He argues that one-off cost of living payments are insufficient and permanent solutions are needed, such as improving the punitive sanctions regime and reinstating the uplift to universal credit. He also emphasises the need to end the benefit cap and two-child limit policies.
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Supports the enabling Bill which will provide additional cost of living support for millions of society's poorest. Acknowledges employment as a key welfare benefit, but notes that there is still a disability employment gap. Emphasises the low unemployment rate in Broadland and youth unemployment, contrasting it with higher rates in France and Spain. Highlights Government initiatives such as the £2 billion kickstart scheme and the restart scheme to support those long-term unemployed. Supports doubling the number of work coaches at Jobcentre Plus and apprenticeship schemes. Also supports the uplift in the national living wage by 9.7%, acknowledging that it is part of a layered employment structure where employers compete for staff through pay increases.
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Mr. McDonnell highlighted that although the bill is supported, many constituents will face a significant increase in energy costs, with 45% for those reliant on means-tested benefits and 43% for others. He cited statistics from National Energy Action showing an increase in households in fuel poverty from 4.5 million to 8.4 million by April 2023. Mr. McDonnell advocated for extending the windfall tax, capping energy prices at affordable levels, providing greater assistance to those most in need, and offering equity loans to companies unable to meet lower prices. He also suggested doubling the £900 support proposed in the bill.
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I support this legislation due to its significant financial assistance to lower-income households. The Bill includes £26 billion in cost of living measures, including an extra winter fuel payment for pensioners and an extension to the household support fund. I urge struggling households and families in my constituency to check their eligibility for pension credit and other support channels.
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While acknowledging the payments, Karen Buck emphasises that they are insufficient due to ongoing high inflation rates and food insecurity. She highlights that millions of people, including those in work, remain in poverty despite these measures.
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Asked how constituents in Watford can find out about additional benefits, expressing concern over the communication of such information.
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Disagreed with the characterization of sanctions regime and criticised the 'substandard legislation', questioning its effectiveness in addressing the needs of vulnerable individuals.
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Asked about the extent to which measures in the Bill will replace or add to the £34 billion reduction in support for working-age people since 2010.