Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Arfon Hywel Williams has called for a comprehensive package of measures to mitigate the impact of skyrocketing costs and increased taxes on his constituents ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement today.
Hywel Williams MP has called for reforms to the Rural Fuel Duty Relief, which would target relief for areas most reliant on car use due to low levels of public transport, improvements to housing stock energy efficiency, and for benefits to be increased in line with inflation.
The Bank of England predicts inflation will rise above 7% next month. Analysis by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that increasing benefits by the planned rate of 3.1% at a time of soaring inflation would result in 9 million low-income households entitled to means-tested benefits, both in and out of work, experiencing an average real-terms cut of £500 a year. The MPs are calling for benefits to be increased in line with inflation.
People living in Gwynedd also face some of the highest energy bill increases in the UK, of around £800-900 a year once the new energy price cap comes into effect next month.
Hywel Williams MP said: “People and businesses in Bangor face skyrocketing costs and increased taxes. The Chancellor has a golden opportunity to announce a comprehensive programme of support for those struggling under the weight of rising costs.
“Rural businesses and households in Arfon will be particularly hit by the rise in fuel and energy prices. The cost-of-living crisis is already hitting our communities hard.
“Despite having annual earnings which fall far below the UK average, people in parts of Arfon now face the injustice of some of the highest energy bill increases in the UK, of around £800-900 a year.
“The Chancellor must reform the Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme to help areas in my constituency where a lack of public transport has led to higher dependency on car use for essential journeys and introduce a temporary rebate scheme for key sectors like haulage, public transport and key workers.
“In addition, no time should be wasted in bringing forward investment to improve our housing stock’s energy efficiency. Plaid Cymru are calling for an ambitious housing retrofit to reduce energy bills in the long-term, which should be delivered through a devolved Shared Prosperity Fund.
“An immediate measure the Chancellor must announce is an increase to benefits in line with inflation. His refusal would mean that 9 million low-income households entitled to means-tested benefits, both in and out of work, would experience an average real-terms cut of £500 a year.
“It would be inexcusable to inflict such additional hardship on people when the cost of living is already soaring. It’s vital the UK Government takes every possible step to mitigate the impact on those most exposed to rising prices.”
