This year's cost of living package for the poor, disabled and pensioners may be repeated next year, but the £400 all-household energy bills rebate is not on the cards, according to reports.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is said to be drawing up plans to repeat the £650, £150 and £300 targeted payments in 2023, and a full package of energy bills support will be announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in Thursday's Autumn Statement.
The report, in The Times newspaper, was not denied by Government sources, leading to speculation that politicians would hand another £650 to 8.2million households on means-tested benefits including Universal Credit, Tax Credits and Pension Credit, according to The Mirror.
Read more: DWP tells Universal Credit claimants not to worry if you've not got your £324 payment yet
Another £150 is thought to be going to about 6.3million people on disability benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and a further £300 to more than 8million pensioner households who already receive a Winter Fuel Payment. Pensioner households in all three groups would get £1,100 of support.
Also on the cards in the statement is a rise to the minimum wage in April, with reports it could go up from £9.50 to £10.40 an hour.
The Budget is also set to confirm the £2,500 cap on average energy bills will end in April, sending bills soaring by hundreds of pounds. Reports claim the energy price guarantee will be reset at £3,100 a year - nearly £2,000 higher than 2021. A council tax hike that will push the average bill over £2,000 a year is also expected, as Mr Hunt announces £55billion of tax rises and spending cuts.
Resolution Foundation chief executive Torsten Bell warned the one-off payments would create a “big cliff edge” for those close to the limit, as new figures show Brits have already suffered a 2.7% real-terms pay cut in the last year as inflation rockets.
“Someone earning £1 too much misses out on hundreds of pounds of support," he said. "Raising the level of the energy price guarantee will reduce the cost to the taxpayer of support. “But [it will] be particularly bad news for households with high energy bills."
Benefits and the state pension are also widely expected to rise with 10.1% after plans for a real-terms cut sparked outcry, meaning a rise of around £18.70 on the New State Pension, from £185.15 to £203.85.
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