Member Article

Chancellor’s Spring Statement has left those in need greatly exposed

The chief executive of Bradford-based Manningham Housing Association has said the Chancellor of the Exchequer has failed to recognise the seriousness of the cost of living crisis now facing people on the lowest incomes.

Responding to Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement delivered earlier today, Lee Bloomfield said: “People on the bottom rung of the income ladder are facing a tsunami of significantly higher energy bills and shopping bills increasing week upon week as inflation risks spiralling out of control.

“The imminent rise in National Insurance, which will not be properly mitigated by the rise in the personal threshold, amounts to a real terms pay cut from next month.

“There is no extra money for those on Universal Credit and the £500 million allocated to local authorities supposedly to help the poorest in society is miniscule given the numbers of people requiring help.

“I had hoped that the Chancellor, who stepped forward to do the right thing in the early months of the pandemic, would choose to support those in greatest need as we enter a new national crisis.

“Instead, he has failed to recognise the seriousness of the situation and left them greatly exposed.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Barry White .