CYP Now - Charities call on chancellor to do more for struggling families

Children’s charities and health bodies have welcomed government measures to reduce the impact of the cost of living crisis but have said more support is needed to tackle rising child poverty levels.

Charities are warning that more families are struggling with debt due to rising energy bills. Image: Adobestock

On Thursday, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced billions of pounds of support designed to help households cope with rising energy costs due to war in Ukraine and global surge in demand after the pandemic.

Key measures include £400 off all energy bills and an additional £650 discount for the poorest eight million households, funded through a one-off windfall tax on energy companies. The chancellor acted after energy bosses warned that average annual bills will reach £2,800 by October, double that of a year earlier.

Azmina Siddique, policy and impact manager at The Children’s Society, said the money for households will “undoubtedly make a positive impact and ease some of the burden for those who are being hardest hit by energy price shocks”.

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