People on Lower Incomes 2023-03-21
2023-03-21
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The question arises from the need for fiscal measures to assist those on lower incomes during financial hardships.
What fiscal steps he is taking to provide financial support to people on lower incomes. He wants to know specific actions beyond the energy price guarantee, including additional cost of living payments and benefit adjustments.
In addition to extending the energy price guarantee, we are introducing cost of living payments for vulnerable households next year. Benefits will be uprated and the national living wage increased to £10.42 an hour.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question stems from the need to understand how recent fiscal changes, specifically fuel duty cuts, have impacted household savings.
What assessment has been made about the financial benefit a typical family will gain from the fuel duty measures announced in last week's Budget? The questioner seeks an evaluation of these measures' impact on average families' finances.
We think the average driver has saved about £200 in total since the 5p cut was introduced. Additional measures include draught relief for beer drinkers and 30 hours of free childcare to help with costs.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific savings amount per typical family was provided but other cost of living measures were also mentioned, slightly diverting from the core question on fuel duty impact.
Introducing Draught Relief For Beer Drinkers
30 Hours Of Free Childcare
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from concerns about carers who work part-time being excluded from receiving carer's allowance if they earn slightly over the threshold, necessitating a review to uplift this threshold in line with inflation.
Will he consider uplifting the carer's allowance earnings threshold in line with inflation for carers working part time and earning just above the limit? The questioner seeks an explicit commitment regarding adjusting this threshold.
Carers do an amazing job and we would not have our NHS or care systems without them. We always keep under review what we can do to help these important people, but no specific commitment was given on uplifting the carer's allowance earnings threshold.
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Assessment & feedback
The Chancellor did not provide a direct answer about reviewing and potentially adjusting the carers' allowance threshold in line with inflation.
Carers Do An Amazing Job
We Would Not Have Our Nhs Or Care Systems Without Them
Response accuracy