What Jeremy Hunt's statement means for you

Tori_Scope

What Jeremy Hunt's statement means for you

The new Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has been making announcements about Government policy changes today.

Here are some of the headlines, taken from BBC News:

• Reduced support with energy bills
• Income tax cut is cancelled
• Little chance of mortgage rates dropping immediately
• Planned increases in the duty rates for beer, cider, wine and spirits will now go ahead, rather than being cancelled
  
• Anyone on the major benefits - such as Universal Credit - should expect a rise in what they receive. However, that won't come until April
  
• Potential for spending cuts
  
• IR35 reforms to stay
  
• The change in the threshold of how much a property has to cost before stamp duty is paid from £125,000 to £250,000 will stay
  
• The 1.25% rise in National Insurance will still be cancelled on 6 November
  

Our response

On Twitter, we said:

The government has created yet more uncertainty for disabled people. The lack of clarity related to benefits will do nothing to provide assurance after an already turbulent year.

Unfortunately, today’s announcements were more about reassuring markets than reassuring people.

All over the country, millions of disabled households are facing a tougher winter, with impossible choices ahead.

It would have helped today to hear the Chancellor announcing how those choices will become easier.

❌ But yet again, disabled people’s needs have been ignored.

We need the government to commit to uprating benefits in line with inflation, and increasing the payments made to disabled households to deal with rising energy bills.

If not, they condemn disabled people to continue bearing the brunt of this crisis.https://t.co/pSUeXwlTW7

It’s crucial that the government now acts on the concerns of disabled people, and restores the confidence and financial stability we need to live our lives.

There’s only so much uncertainty we can be forced to endure.

— Scope (@scope) October 17, 2022

Over to you...

What do you think about the announcements?

woodbine

@Tori_Scope feel free to close my thread on the subject as we cross posted, although mortgage rate changes are as yet an unknown quantity for existing borrowers.

calcotti

Although the media speculation has heightened uncertainty it is normal for benefits uprating not to be confirmed until November. 

leeCal

I for one am seriously worried about the near term future. Jeremy Hunt is in my opinion very strict and I’m not expecting much help from him. I also can’t afford to pay £6000 for energy after April 2023 so I hope it’s a mild winter/spring.

Karen7788

Michael Foot’s magician’s watch speech comes to mind. 

We’re just going to baton down the hatches and wait for the coming storm to blow over, I don’t even want to think about it. 

Tori_Scope

Don't worry @woodbine There's no harm in having 2!

calcotti

Note that he has just refused in the House of Commons to confirm that benefits are raised by CPI nor that the Triple Lock will be applied to State Pension. Equally he hasn’t said that they will not. Simply says that we have to wait until decisions have been made.

leeCal

Yes @calcotti, I’m very concerned.

Cartini

Hunt was previously the Health Secretary..............

fluffycat

Is a worry, still higher bills with current help but at least knew was for TWO YEARS but now uncertainty after 6 months. 
The warm home discount is more strict so even if fuel poor still might not get. (level of income not the absolute criteria 22/23)

jinnty

My concern is because I don’t qualify for benefits like ESA or universal credit, only pip, I miss out on a lot of extra money because pip is framed enough. W would love a politician to live on pip and enjoy a liveable standard let alone a decent one. £150 is welcomed but what about the rest, I think it’s terrible that pip that is for disabled people, is the one that excludes us from getting extra income that we desperately need. Like a lot of disabled people, we are going to have to pull in very tightly especially as our adult disabled son lives with us. The rule that pip doesn’t get extra needs to be changed. 

calcotti

jinnty said:…, I think it’s terrible that pip that is for disabled people, is the one that excludes us from getting extra income that we desperately need. ..

Getting PIP doesn’t exclude you from other income. The fact you do not qualify for other means tested benefits (which I understand from your post to be the case) that would have qualified you for other CoL payments has nothing to be with having PIP.

poppy123456

jinnty said:

My concern is because I don’t qualify for benefits like ESA or universal credit, only pip, 

What is the reason why you’re not entitled to UC? Do you live with a partner that works? Have you used a benefits calculator to check entitlement?

poppy123456

Ada said:

I am scared 

Yes indeed, scary times ahead and millions of others are thinking the same thing.

woodbine

If it's any consolation (and it isn't much) millions of us are in the same mess, increasing prices on a day/week/monthly basis with no extra income until next April.
I have never known a time in my 63 years when everything has been so bl**dy awful for so many of us.

calcotti

We now know that the Sept CPI figure for the last 12 months is 10.1%.

Margare93222061

All the government are worried about is themselves. The people in government live in their own bubble. I 

Tori_Scope

I think many people feel the same way as you @Margare93222061! What changes would you like to see from the Government?

Cartini

Margare93222061 said:

All the government are worried about is themselves. The people in government live in their own bubble. I 

MPs only want you when they want your votes.  When they`ve got your vote you no longer exist.