Cost of Living Crisis

Liz Jarvis has called on the Government to do more to support people across Eastleigh through the Cost of Living crisis after a Government minister informed the council there is no further support coming at this stage.

Councillor Liz Jarvis brought forward a motion declaring a Cost of Living Emergency in Eastleigh, and said that the Government response from the Rt Hon Lucy Frazer is “woefully inadequate.”

“Hard-working families in Eastleigh are already struggling to make ends meet, and are deeply concerned about how they will cope with the predicted rise in energy bills as well as the soaring cost of food and other essentials.

“This Conservative Government is stalling in the face of a national emergency and, yet again, is simply not doing enough to put money back in the pockets of hard-working people.

“With inflation already at 10.1% and expected to rise much higher residents across Eastleigh are already struggling, and they cannot wait for a new Conservative leader to act.

“We are calling on the Government to introduce measures including cancelling the planned rise in energy bills this October, immediately reducing the rate of VAT, restoring the Universal Credit uplift, re-introducing the pensions triple lock, and changing taxation on fuel.

“This is an emergency, and the Government must step in now to help everyone in Eastleigh who is worried about the prospect of an exceptionally bleak winter.

“We will keep fighting for our residents and do everything we can to support them.”

Council Leader Keith House commented:

“We are extremely disappointed with the response from the Treasury. This is a very real crisis that is of grave concern to many of our residents; the Government must take more immediate action now to protect those who are most vulnerable, as a local authority we are doing everything in our power to support our residents during this worrying time, but more must be done at central government level to alleviate this crisis.

“I would like to thank Cllr Liz Jarvis for bringing her motion to Cabinet.  We have agreed that policies at the Council will be tested against the Cost of Living Emergency, just as we have with our continued commitment that the Borough’s share of Council Tax will rise by less than inflation, as it will next year for the twentieth year running.”