Last week’s Budget marks a significant step to ease cost-of-living pressures on workers, families and pensioners, while laying the foundations for a country where every child has the chance to thrive. Global instability and domestic pressures have tested household budgets, and the Government is acting to provide support.
Ensuring older people live with dignity and security is a cornerstone of our approach. By maintaining the triple lock, we’re delivering an increase of up to £575 for pensioners next year – and pensioners whose only income is the State Pension will not pay income tax in this Parliament. There is also help with fuel bills through the Winter Fuel Allowance of up to £300, plus a further £150 for the poorest pensioners through our expansion of the Warm Homes Discount. And over 500 retired miners in West Cumbria are getting a boost to their pensions thanks to our changes to hand over cash from the Mineworkers Pension Scheme and the BCSSS to its members which has been denied to them for so long.
We are boosting the pay of apprentices and those on the lowest incomes with major increases in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage – a pay rise for thousands of people across West Cumbria, ensuring work continues to be the surest route out of hardship.
For working families, the Budget strengthens incomes and rewards effort. We’re increasing investment in free childcare, supporting family finances but also benefiting children. High-quality early education is one of the most effective tools to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes for the next generation. The additional funding ensures these reforms are ambitious but deliverable for providers. The expansion of free school meals and free breakfast clubs will benefit hundreds of children across West Cumbria and ensure families keep more of their money.
Other measures will make everyday daily life a little easier: £150 off energy bills for everyone; an additional £150 discount for thousands of low-income households across West Cumbria; a freeze on prescription charges and rail fares; an extension of the £3 cap on bus fares; and continuation of the 5p cut to fuel duty.
The most important impact will be felt by children. No child should be held back because of the circumstances they are born into. Childhood poverty leaves a deep and lasting imprint – on individual life chances and on our society and economy. There are 1,800 children in West Cumbria in households affected by the two-child limit on Universal Credit, the majority in working families. Scrapping the cap will lift hundreds of local children out of poverty. It is fully funded, not by higher taxes on working people, but through higher gambling duties and tackling waste and fraud in the benefits system.
People asked for security, opportunity and hope. This Budget delivers all three – supporting those who most need help now while building a stronger, fairer country for the future.
Josh MacAlister MP 