π Stoas near [[the governments measures to address the rising cost of energy bills go nowhere near far enough]]
π Node [[the governments measures to address the rising cost of energy bills go nowhere near far enough]]
π
neil/the-governments-measures-to-address-the-rising-cost-of-energy-bills-go-nowhere-near-far-enough.md by @agora
The government's measures to address the rising cost of energy bills go nowhere near far enough
[[Britain]]. [[2022]]. [[Cost of living crisis]]. [[Britain has soaring energy bills]].
The Observer view on Britainβs growing cost of living crisis | Observer editoβ¦
- [[Rishi Sunak]], has chosen to prioritise Conservative voters β and hence his own leadership prospects
- The measures are a flat-rate, poorly targeted council tax rebate that 80% of households will benefit from
- More than 40% of its value will go to households in the top half of the income distribution
- While more than 600,000 low-income households will miss out
- The Β£200 rebate for all households will be taxed back through a Β£40-a-year surcharge for the next five years, which will push todayβs cost pressures into the future.
And
- Low-income families have been at the sharp end of tax credit cuts and benefit freezes over the last decade, with many low-paid parents losing thousands of pounds a year as a result.
-
The savings paid for income tax cuts that disproportionately benefited better-off households;
- they were a political choice made by successive Conservative chancellors, supported between 2010 and 2015 by the Liberal Democrats.
-
The cuts have left less affluent households particularly vulnerable to this cost-of-living squeeze
- and are a large part of why [[child poverty]] rates have risen and growing numbers of people are using [[food banks]].
So
- Government support to help with rising energy bills should be targeted at those who need it most, through the tax credit and benefit system
Loading context... (requires JavaScript)