Big UK retailers announce new deals to help struggling families
Offers include £1 meals at Asda for children and family meals for a fiver at Sainsbury's
Some of the biggest UK retailers have announced new deals to help families during the cost-of-living crisis.
As costs often increase for parents during the summer holidays, these companies have decided to reduce prices as part of the Government's Help for Households campaign.
More families are reaching breaking point due to a surge in food and fuel prices.
Inflation has reached a new 40-year high.
£1 meals and free West End shows
The deals include the extension of supermarket giant Asda's scheme allowing children to buy a meal for £1, and the introduction of a "feed your family for a fiver" campaign by Sainsbury's.
London theatres will let children see a West End show for free in August with a fee-paying adult, while telecoms firm Vodafone is promoting a mobile social tariff of £10 a month.
Amazon has a page linking to free music and TV, learning resources and value groceries, while children can get a free meal at Morrisons cafes.
£37 billion worth of support
Boris Johnson said the campaign will help families across the country who are "feeling the pinch".
The Prime Minister said: "That's why this Government is providing an unprecedent £37 billion worth of support to help households through the storm.
"Both the public and private sector have a role to play here - and that's why it's great to see so many leading UK businesses are now coming forward to offer new deals and discounts that will provide much needed respite at the checkout.
"This won't solve the issue overnight but it's yet another weapon in our arsenal as we fight back against scourge of rising prices and inflation."
People can find all the deals on the Government's new Help for Households website.
Fresh discounts to come during the back-to-school period
The campaign will also provide fresh discounts during the back-to-school period, in autumn when energy bills are expected to surge to new record highs, and during the Christmas shopping season.
David Buttress, the Government's cost-of-living tsar and former Just Eat chief, agreed the deals with businesses.
Mr Johnson and Mr Buttress are set to meet leaders of participating companies in Downing Street on Thursday to discuss further cost-cutting initiatives.
Mr Buttress will praise the campaign's "good start" while making clear that "we've got more to do and more deals to announce - not just over the summer holidays but when kids return to school and in the run up to Christmas when costs are typically higher".
More on the cost-of-living crisis:
Interest rates and inflation go up
Inflation rose by 8.8% in the 12 months to January 2023, down from 9.2% in December 2022. With interest rates also rising to 4%, those saving money will earn more interest on their finances, whilst those paying mortgages would pay more interest to the bank.
Energy bills
The price of energy went up incredibly as the cost of living crisis hit, with the gas price spike caused largely by the war in Ukraine. The price cap - which is set by an independent regulator to help offset costs onto customers - was set to rise to £3,549 for an average home in October but a price freeze from the government restricted the typical bill to £2,500. That's still an increase of 27% from the previous energy cap and as it's a cap on unit cost, the more energy you use the higher your bill will be.
Food prices
The cost of a weekly shop also has gone up as a result of the cost of living crisis. As a result of the war in Ukraine, a number of products including cooking oils and wheat have been disrupted. This means that several products are now considerably more expensive, driving bills up for customers.
Prices at the pumps
The average cost of petrol has also rose to unprecedented levels. Supply lines for petrol have been thrown into doubt as a result of the war in Ukraine, as Russia is a large export partner for gas, oil and fuel. In April 2022, the average price for a litre of petrol on the forecourt was 160.2p, whilst a litre of diesel would cost 170.5p. By late June 2022 the price had risen to an average of 190.9p for a litre of unleaded and 198.9p for a litre of diesel. In March 2023 the price wass on average of 147.03 in petrol and 167.04 in diesel.
Average cost of filling up a car with petrol hits £100
On 9th June 2022, the average cost of filling up a car with petrol hit £100 for the first time ever. Diesel had already hit that milestone. It comes as the cost of fuel hit a record high of one pound eighty a litre. The 2p rise was the biggest daily jump in 17 years. Prices have dropped by at least 20p per litre since the high point.