Rishi Sunak warns he will make ‘unpopular’ pay decisions affecting millions
Rishi Sunak has warned millions of public sector workers not to expect bumper pay rises – saying he was willing to be unpopular to tame stubborn inflation.
The PM said there was “no point doing something that sounds popular and nice” but which would ultimately fuel further price rises.
A row has erupted after it emerged he was preparing to overrule the independent pay review bodies if they recommended a six per cent salary hike for workers.
Risking a fresh clash with unions, a steadfast Mr Sunak said big pay rises would be “giving with one hand and taking with the other through higher inflation and interest rates.”
Echoing Margaret Thatcher, he said: “There isn’t an alternative to stamping out inflation.”
Mr Sunak has staked his career on halving ripping inflation – currently at 8.7 per cent – by the end of the year.
His tight hold on the purse strings has seen Ministers face criticism for not stumping up enough support for families, especially those facing mortgage misery.
But Mr Sunak insisted: “We’ve got to hold our nerve, stick to the plan and we will get through this.”
Households set to pay £170 green energy levy again from July
Households are set to pay a £170 green energy levy again from next month.
Rishi Sunak faces a furious backlash as it emerged that the extra whack will go onto bills again as the government’s energy support falls away.
Bills will still fall by around £500 a year from July as the cost of energy gets cheaper, the Government say.
But the cost of the levies will go from the Government coughing it up, back to bill payers again.
It was paused by Liz Truss last year as part of her huge £70billion energy bill bailout, where she announced an energy price cap to help hard-up households.
Ministers will temporarily stop paying for energy bill help as the prices will fall below it – though it could come back later this year.
But now the price cap is set to fall, the levies will return to bills – costing around £170 out of the average £2,000 bill.
MoneySavingExpert issues urgent warning with just days left to claim up to £400
Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert is warning households to act now to get £400 free cash to help with energy bills as the deadline looms.
MoneySavingExpert (MSE) is urging those on prepayment meters to claim the vouchers which expire in just a few days’ time.
Millions of households in England, Scotland and Wales benefited from a £400 discount on their energy bills, which was paid over winter.
The help was paid in instalments worth £66 in October and November, and then £67 between December and March 2023 as a discount on energy bills.
But those on traditional prepayment meters were sent vouchers to redeem at their local top-up point instead.
More than £100million worth of vouchers are still yet to be claimed, with just days to go until the June 30 deadline.
Urgent warning to households on Universal Credit over bill rise – how to check if you’re affected
Universal Credit households are being urged to check if they’re affected by an increase to a common household bill.
Thousands receiving the benefit could be eligible for a council tax reduction, or could even get the balance paid off in full.
What support you can get depends on your circumstances and where you live, as each council decides what help to offer those in its area.
How to catch up on the Martin Lewis Money Show
You can catch up on the Martin Lewis Money Show via ITV’s streaming service ITVX in order to discover some top tips on saving cash.
Last year’s series of the show provided crucial advice for Brits in need of financial support, from energy-saving tips to urgent money warnings.
Are you eligible for benefits?
A number of charities have benefits calculators that you can use to work out if you are entitled to any extra help.
This includes:
- Turn2Us
- Policy in Practice
- EntitledTo
It’s worth looking into, as if you do qualify, it could make you eligible for the £900 cost of living payment too.
