"It's a lifeline": Norfolk reacts to government living support package
Rishi Sunak's £15 billion emergency statement includes five initiatives to help those struggling with the rising cost of living
Last updated 27th May 2022
As the dust settles on the Chancellor's cost of living support package, Norwich Foodbank and a Norfolk brewery are calling on him to keep these latest measures under 'constant review'.
Rishi Sunak's £15 billion emergency statement will see the current energy rebate scheme double to £400 and be transformed into a grant.
It will also result in 8 million families on low incomes receiving a one-off £650 grant. With pensioners getting a £300 equivalent and those on disability benefits getting £150.
While an extra £500m will be given to the household support fund, delivered by local councils, which increases it's total budget to £1.5bn.
"Yes it is good. But let's not celebrate just yet"
Hannah Worsley is project manager of the food bank, she welcomes what's been put in place, but warns it's only enough for now: "It's definitely a lifeline for a lot of people. We've been helping people with the household support fund which is a grant of up to £50.
"Sometimes we've been giving £50, other times we've been giving out £25, depending on how often people have come to us.
"It's a relatively small amount compared with the £400 that's been promised along with upwards of that for other families. It's going to make a massive difference to people.
"With extra price rises going across all different avenues, in terms of food, utilities, fuel and other things. Couple that with winter months coming and the energy price cap to rise- it won't have gone far enough, definitely.
"So, I think we do need to be planning further ahead because yes it is good. But let's not celebrate just yet because families are struggling right now."
"We're trying not to pass on those prices at the moment, but that's not sustainable"
David Holliday is the owner of Moon Gazer Ale, an independent brewery in Fakenham.
With yesterday's emergency statement only providing help to households - he wants the Government to introduce a energy price cap for small businesses in addition to providing rolling support to those struggling.
He told us that while there's no quick fix - but many small businesses can't carry on like this: "We're just faced with constantly increasing prices, which will instil and fuel further inflationary pressures.
"We're trying not to pass on those prices at the moment, but that's not sustainable- so our energy crisis is going to cost us another 23k or 24k a year that we hadn't budgeted or allowed for.
"So that is going to hurt the business.
"We need people to have that confidence as we're one of the first sectors where people will pull in their spending, because it's discretionary.
"So, we do need that support and we very much welcome any support and would welcome if it was kept under constant review because people are still being faced with a £1,000 or £2,000 per household increase in cost that they didn't have last year. So, we welcome the help."