Harwich and North Essex MP calls for cost-of-living support package

Sir Bernard has urged the Treasury to commit £13.5billion of financial support to those struggling with inflation.

According to the senior backbencher, food and energy costs will rise to more than £1,000 a year for the lowest income households and £1,500 for pensioners.

He made his feelings clear during the Queen’s Speech Commons debate during which the topic of economic growth was discussed.

He said: “We must all recognise the cost-of-living crisis - yes crisis – and accept this new global energy and economic crisis requires a very substantial policy response.

“Like after the unforeseen Covid crisis, the Treasury must adapt to this unexpected war in Europe – there is no excuse for another episode

“A summer package to rescue the most vulnerable households is needed to avoid real financial distress and personal anguish.

“[We need] to support economic demand of the most vulnerable households or we are creating possibly a worse recession than is already expected.”

During the debate, Sir Bernard, who has been an MP since 2010, suggested restoring the £20 uplift in Universal Credit.

He also called for the Warm Home Discount to be doubled and the Winter Fuel Payment to be trebled in order to truly help the most vulnerable of residents.

“The abolition of VAT on domestic fuel would abolish a regressive tax which actually hurts the poorest households the most,” he added.

“The Government should provide pensioners and poorer families with the confidence they can afford to stay warm.

“This package would cost not £3billion, but £13.5 billion, but that’s still less than the recent tax increases we’ve seen.

“I have watched Governments and oppositions be blindsided by their own commitment to outdated thinking and policies in the past.

“The chief secretary is right to sound cautious, but we can see what is coming and I am confident this Government will act as it must.”