What Jeremy Hunt's statement means for you

Tori_Scope
Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,464 Championing
edited October 2022 in Everyday life

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?

Comments

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    Although the media speculation has heightened uncertainty it is normal for benefits uprating not to be confirmed until November. 
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    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
    Karen7788 Scope Member Posts: 596 Empowering
    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
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,464 Championing
    Don't worry @woodbine :) There's no harm in having 2!
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    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
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    Yes @calcotti, I’m very concerned.
  • Cartini
    Cartini Online Community Member Posts: 1,107 Trailblazing
    Hunt was previously the Health Secretary..............
  • fluffycat
    fluffycat Online Community Member Posts: 259 Empowering
    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
    jinnty Online Community Member Posts: 57 Contributor
    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
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited October 2022
    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
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    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
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Ada said:
    I am scared 

    Yes indeed, scary times ahead and millions of others are thinking the same thing. :(
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    We now know that the Sept CPI figure for the last 12 months is 10.1%.
  • Margare93222061
    Margare93222061 Online Community Member Posts: 421 Empowering
    All the government are worried about is themselves. The people in government live in their own bubble. I 
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,464 Championing
    I think many people feel the same way as you @Margare93222061! What changes would you like to see from the Government?
  • Cartini
    Cartini Online Community Member Posts: 1,107 Trailblazing
    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.