The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has today announced measures aimed at relieving some of the pressure households face amid the cost of living crisis.
Mr Sunak has agreed to impose a windfall tax on the soaring profits of oil and gas firms to fund a cost of living relief package. Mr Sunak said the 25% energy levy would raise around £5 billion that will be used to send a one off payment of £650 to more than eight million households.
The payments will be made by the Department for Work and Pensions in the summer and autumn.
READ MORE: Rishi Sunak announces £650 one off payment for households
Mr Sunak also announced that the energy bills discount due to come in from October is being doubled from £200 to £400, while the requirement to pay it back will be scrapped. This means households will receive a £400 discount on their energy bills from October.
On help for pensioners, Mr Sunak told the Commons: “From the autumn we will send over eight million pensioner households who receive the winter fuel payment an extra one-off pensioner cost-of-living payment of £300. Disabled people also face extra costs in their day-to-day lives, like having energy-intensive equipment around the home or workplace.
“So to help the six million people who receive non-means tested disability benefits we will send them, from September, an extra one-off disability cost-of-living payment worth £150. Many disabled people will also receive the payment of £650 I’ve already announced, taking their total cost-of-living payments to £800.”
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