Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support those who rely on medical equipment to live and face rising bills as a result of energy price increases.

Living with a long-term illness or disability can impact significantly on the cost of living. This is why the government invests heavily in supporting disabled people both in and out of work through the welfare system.

The government is committed to help protect customers from price spikes, especially vulnerable customers and is very aware of the difficulties that consumers are experiencing as a result of the rise in energy prices. The Government is providing significant financial support – up to £350 – to the majority of households, which will cover more than half of the April rise in energy bills for the average household. This support is worth £9.1 billion in 2022-23.

The Government is providing further support for vulnerable households, elderly and low-income people through the Warm Home Discount - which is being expanded by a third to 3 million people and increased to £150 – in addition to the continuation of Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.

The government is also providing an additional £500 million for the Household Support Fund from April, on top of the £500 million we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding to £1 billion. In England, Local Authorities are best placed to direct this help to those in their areas who need it most and will receive £421 million, whilst the devolved administrations will receive £79 million through the Barnett formula.

The Government continues to support vulnerable groups through NHS services. The additional funding announced at the Spending Review, made possible by the new Health and Social Care Levy, means that the NHS resource budget will increase to over £160 billion in 2024-25. These investments will allow the NHS to continue providing the services people need.