MP for Penrith and The Border, Dr Neil Hudson, has welcomed that almost one in four families across the UK will receive £324 from the Conservative Government this month as the latest Cost of Living Payments begin to be sent out.
This includes an estimated 6,700 families here in Penrith and The Border who are in receipt of benefits or are eligible tax credit claimants.
Across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland the figure exceeds eight million and payments will be made directly to everyone who is eligible with no need for anyone to apply. Those in receipt of benefits will be paid by 23rd November and eligible tax credit claimants will receive payment by 30th November.
This direct support is part of the Conservative Government’s £37 billion package of cost-of-living support, including up to £1,200 worth of direct help for vulnerable households.
Dr Hudson has long called for the Government to support people amid the cost-of-living crisis with measures akin to those that helped people and businesses stay afloat during the pandemic. More recently he has spoken up in Parliament for those who use heating oil or alternative fuels to heat their homes – like many do in rural Cumbria – and asked for support to reasonably reflect the hardship being faced by many.
Commenting, Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“The cost-of-living crisis has dominated many of the conversations I’ve been having across Penrith and The Border so to hear that our Conservative Government has pledged to help around 6,700 of the most vulnerable families in our constituency is truly heartening.
“These £324 payments are a sign of the compassionate One Nation Conservatism, Rishi Sunak’s Government stands for and I sincerely hope this compassion will extend to the Autumn Statement. Until then, I will continue to push for the Triple Lock on pensions to be retained and for benefits to be uprated in line with inflation.”
Commenting, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said:
“We understand that people are struggling and that is why we’ve acted to ensure millions of low-income families are supported this winter.
“As part of a wider £37 billion package of support, this latest £324 payment shows we are committed to helping our most vulnerable manage the rising cost of living.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt added:
“Prices are rising across the world as we manage the aftershock of Covid-19 and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. We recognise that families back home are struggling, which is why we’ve taken decisive action to hold down energy bills this winter and provided hundreds of pounds of cash support for each vulnerable household.
“As part of that support, over 8 million vulnerable households – almost a quarter of families in the UK – will automatically receive a second cost of living payment worth £324 in their bank account from today.
“And while we can’t completely protect people from rising prices, my priority at the upcoming Autumn Statement will be to protect the poorest in society as we take the tough decisions necessary to fix our public finances.”