Cost of Living Families 2026-03-10

2026-03-10

TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Michael Wheeler Lab
Worsley and Eccles
Context
Families in Worsley and Eccles are facing high living costs, with energy, food, and childcare prices rising.
What fiscal steps have you taken to help reduce the cost of living for families?
Stability is the most important thing that we can do to get interest rates and inflation down, and tackling the cost of living is my top priority. At the Budget, we took money off energy bills and froze prescription charges and train fares. The Government's cheaper fuel finder scheme is now online, and it shows petrol prices at forecourts across the country. Yesterday, some petrol retailers charged almost 180p per litre, while others were charging less than 130p per litre.
Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific measures beyond broad statements.
Stability Is Key No Specific Measures Beyond Broad Statements
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Bell Ribeiro-Addy Lab
Clapham and Brixton Hill
Context
The Trussell Trust's report highlights food insecurity for private renters receiving housing benefit.
The Trussell Trust's report highlights food insecurity for private renters receiving housing benefit. Will the Chancellor lift the freeze on local housing allowance?
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 will come into force in the next month or so, making a big difference to constituents. We have put £39 billion into our social and affordable homes programme to ensure more people can get a council house or social home. We are also getting rid of the two-child limit, which the Trussell Trust says will reduce demand for food banks.
Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to lifting the freeze on local housing allowance.
Will Meet With Petrol Retailers Noted The Renters' Rights Act
Response accuracy
Q3 Partial Answer
Michael Wheeler Lab
Worsley and Eccles
Context
Young families face significant financial pressures, including high housing and childcare costs.
What measures are the Government taking to alleviate financial burdens on young families?
We have recognised the pressures facing families and have cut interest rates, which has seen the average cost of servicing a mortgage come down by about £1,300 a year. The Renters' Rights Act will come into force shortly to give greater rights to people in the private rented sector. The free childcare offer now ensures parents with children aged between nine months and five years get free childcare if they are in work. From next month, the end of the two-child benefit limit will lift 450,000 children out of poverty.
Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific measures beyond broad statements.
Recognised Pressures Noted Free Childcare
Response accuracy
Q4 Partial Answer
Graham Stuart Con
Beverley and Holderness
Context
Richard from Beverley faces a huge spike in heating oil costs due to being off-grid.
What steps can the Chancellor take to alleviate the situation for rural families affected by heating oil costs?
Everybody gets support with their electricity bill, regardless of how they heat their home. We had representations from the Labour group of rural MPs over the weekend, and my colleague the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is going to meet all MPs with an interest in this area tomorrow. The most important thing this Government are doing is trying to de-escalate the crisis in the middle east, because that is the way to get prices down for all our constituents, whether for heating oil or at the pumps.
Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific steps beyond meeting with MPs.
Meeting With Mps De-Escalating The Crisis
Response accuracy
Q5 Partial Answer
Kirsty Blackman SNP
Aberdeen North
Context
Families are still struggling despite lower inflation and higher fuel prices.
Will the Chancellor recognise the ongoing struggle of families and put in an emergency package of measures?
In April, people will get £150 off their energy bills and prescription charges in England will be frozen as will rail fares. We are getting rid of the two-child benefit cap, which will lift 450,000 children out of poverty. The most important thing we can do for the price of petrol, diesel and heating oil is de-escalate the conflict in the middle east and get vessels moving again through the strait of Hormuz.
Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to an emergency package.
De-Escalating The Crisis Noted Measures
Response accuracy
Q6 Partial Answer
Steve Witherden Lab
Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
Context
Poverty costs the UK around £75 billion each year, and political choices are contributing to it.
Will my right hon. Friend consider equalising capital gains tax with income tax and introducing a 2% wealth tax on assets over £10 million?
In my first Budget, I changed a number of taxes to ensure that the wealthiest are paying their fair share. We increased capital gains tax, reduced the number of tax loopholes, introduced VAT and business rates on private schools, extended the energy profits levy and got rid of the exemptions for private equity. In the Budget last year, I did more than any Chancellor has ever done to take children out of poverty. In the course of this Parliament alone, more than half a million children will be lifted out of poverty.
Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to equalising capital gains tax or introducing a wealth tax.
Increased Capital Gains Tax Noted Poverty Reduction
Response accuracy
Q7 Partial Answer
Pippa Heylings Lib Dem
South Cambridgeshire
Context
Tensions in the Middle East have caused global oil and gas prices to rise, affecting households in South Cambridgeshire where many use oil for heating and have seen prices double in a week.
With tensions in the Middle East pushing up global oil and gas prices again, households are understandably worried that yet another international crisis will mean higher energy bills and a higher cost of living at home. In South Cambridgeshire, many rural and semi-rural households have to use oil for heating, and they have seen prices double over the past week. Will the Chancellor support the Liberal Democrats' call to zero rate VAT on heating oil for three months for all residential homes, and will she consider other measures to protect them from massive spikes in their bills?
There are two things going on with heating oil. First, we have the conflict in the Middle East, which we are trying to de-escalate, and secondly, we have price gouging. The way to deal with that is to ensure that customers are treated fairly and companies are not ripping off their customers. That is why we have asked the Competition and Markets Authority to look at the issues around heating oil, but we have to get to the root of the problem, which is that vessels are not flowing through the strait of Hormuz, and some businesses are using this crisis as an opportunity to rip off consumers. Rather than throwing public money at something when that is not the solution, let us deal with price gouging and getting the oil flowing.
Assessment & feedback
The Chancellor did not address the specific ask of zero rating VAT on heating oil or considering other measures to protect households from price spikes.
We Have To Get To The Root Of The Problem Rather Than Throwing Public Money At Something
Response accuracy
Q8 Partial Answer
James Wild Con
North West Norfolk
Context
The Chancellor broke a promise to not extend the freeze on income tax thresholds, leading to a £23 billion tax rise and a million more people paying higher rate tax, which is causing concern among constituents struggling with the cost of living.
The Chancellor promised in her first Budget that she would not extend the freeze on income tax thresholds, because it “would hurt working people. It would take more money out of their payslips.” In her second Budget, the Chancellor broke her promise with a £23 billion tax rise, bringing a million more people into paying higher rate tax. When people are set to struggle with the cost of living over this Parliament, why are the Government choosing to make their lives harder?
Some people have short memories, haven't they, Mr Speaker? I remember the Conservatives freezing those thresholds on a number of occasions. We said in our manifesto that we would not increase the headline rates of national insurance, VAT and income tax that working people pay, but I did say clearly at the Budget last year that we would have to ask everyone to make a greater contribution, because of the downgrade in productivity, which is a result of the mismanagement of the economy by the last Government over 14 failed years.
Assessment & feedback
The Chancellor did not address why the Government is making people's lives harder by increasing taxes despite the cost of living concerns.
Some People Have Short Memories We Said In Our Manifesto
Response accuracy