Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

People on Lower Incomes

Tuesday 21 March 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The energy price guarantee is being extended with cost of living payments for vulnerable households and benefits uprating.
  • The average driver has saved about 200 since the 5p fuel duty cut was introduced.
  • Jim Shannon asked about uplifting the carer's allowance earnings threshold in line with inflation, but no specific commitment was given.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Henry Smith Con
Economy Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from the need for fiscal measures to assist those on lower incomes during financial hardships.

Question

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.

Answer from Jeremy Hunt

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.

Answered
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Q2 Henry Smith Con
Economy Taxation Energy
Context

The question stems from the need to understand how recent fiscal changes, specifically fuel duty cuts, have impacted household savings.

Question

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.

Answer from Jeremy Hunt

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: 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.

How: Introducing Draught Relief For Beer Drinkers, 30 Hours Of Free Childcare

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Q3 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
NHS Social Care Benefits & Welfare
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.

Question

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.

Answer from Jeremy Hunt

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.

Not addressed: The Chancellor did not provide a direct answer about reviewing and potentially adjusting the carers' allowance threshold in line with inflation.

How: Carers Do An Amazing Job, We Would Not Have Our Nhs Or Care Systems Without Them

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