Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to reduce the cost of living for people experiencing economic hardship.

The Government has announced wide-ranging support for people at risk of experiencing economic hardship, including: income support schemes, mortgage holidays, extra support for renters, additional support through the welfare system worth £7.4 billion in 2020-21, a £500 million local authority hardship fund to help people with their council tax bills, a £170 million Covid Winter Grant Scheme to support families with the cost of food and bills, help with utility bills, and £500 payments to support low income individuals to self-isolate under NHS Test and Trace.

As the Government has done throughout this crisis, we will continue to consider how best to support people as the public health and economic contexts develop.