Cornwall foodbank provider welcomes government £15bn energy bills support package
It is to help the poorest, the elderly and the disabled with the rising cost of living
Last updated 26th May 2022
A foodbank provider, which has branches across Cornwall, has welcomed the £15bn support package announced by the government to help with the rising cost of living.
Speaking in Parliament today (26th May) the Chancellor set out measures he says will make a difference to families hit by a massive rise in bills.
This includes:
£650 payment to 8m low income and vulnerable families currently receiving benefits
£200 "loan" on energy bills to be scrapped, and replaced with a £400 grant.
£300 payment for pensioners receiving winter fuel allowance
£150 payment for people on disability benefits
A new "energy profits levy" targeting the profits of energy companies
Rishi Sunak has been under pressure to make an emergency statement after it was announced there would be another 42% increase in energy bills in October.
That's on top of huge price rises in April, as well as soaring costs at the supermarket and petrol pumps.
The Trussell Trust has foodbanks across the Duchy, from Launceston to Penryn and Saltash to Helston.
Spokesperson Thomas Weekes has told us the measures are a 'much needed boost' for families on low incomes.
He said: "I was speaking to a foodbank manager recently who said that the people coming in for support are really scared and they're beside themselves about what the next six months will bring. So these announcements today will really help, it is clear that many more families would have been forced to use a foodbank without this much needed boost.
"Today's pledge of support shows that change is possible, but to end the need for foodbanks this can't be a one-off, we need this scale of support going forward to help ensure no one needs to use a foodbank in the future."
Steve Double, who is the MP for St Austell and Newquay, has also welcomed the help with rising energy bills.
He said: “This is a significant package of support which will help all households, and rightly targets the most help at those who need it. The Government has stuck to its promise that as the situation evolves our response will evolve.
“The Chancellor said he would consider what further support we could provide once we knew what the increase in energy prices coming in the Autumn would be. This week Ofgem announced the new price cap for October and I am pleased the Chancellor has wasted no time in announcing this significant package of support today.
“We recognise that we must once again do everything we can to help people through these challenging times and this targeted action will particularly help those who are hard-pressed.
“I know the Government will continue to monitor the impact of the cost of living over the coming months and ensure people receive the help they need during these unprecedented times.”
But there has been criticism of the support package from the opposition.
Labour's Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves accused Rishi Sunak of taking too long to make the announcement, and took credit for the new tax on energy companies.
She also claimed the government were missing other opportunities to support people.
She told the Commons: "Labour called for a windfall tax because it is the right thing to do.
"The Conservatives are doing it because they needed a new headline and we see that too from all the other things that he didn’t address today.
"The non-doms keep their tax privileges while the Chancellor hikes taxes on working people.