The cost of living crisis is hitting households across Leicester, making people face up to impossible decisions about whether to heat their home or eat.
Support from national government has been wholly inadequate, but Leicester’s Labour controlled city council is still doing everything it can to help to people in need.
Over this electoral term, Leicester City Council (LCC) have committed almost £90m to reduce council tax and living costs in Leicester – entirely at their own discretion, during a period of severe cuts to their revenue budgets.
LCC have also just launched the Better Off Leicester tool which helps people claim the benefits and support they are entitled to. It also gives information on childcare, budgeting and debt issues, and finding and applying for local jobs. For more details, go to leicester.gov.uk/betteroff
These measures are part of a package of support which also includes:
- Ensuring the money given to LCC as a fuel rebate for council tax band A-D homes gets to everyone who qualifies
- Making sure the Household Support Fund reaches those with the most need by sharing it out based on referrals from professionals such as social workers, school staff and neighbourhood housing officers.
- Providing funding to foodbanks in the city
- Giving each low income pensioner who receives pension credit a £100 voucher, redeemable at their local post office to cover off fuel and/or heating costs
- Supporting, where possible, struggling families and individuals with food costs and utility bills; the purchase of white goods and the cost of a school uniforms
- Delivering a Holiday Activities and Food Programme for children in Leicester who receive free school meals-Family Information | Holiday activities and food programme (leicester.gov.uk)
More information on other support available from Leicester City Council can be found at www.leicester.gov.uk/benefits
Nationally, Labour has forced the Conservative Government to U-turn on a windfall tax on offshore oil and gas producers. This is something that Labour has been demanding for five months. Every day of Conservative dithering and delay in this time added £53 million to household bills. When it comes to the big issues facing our country, the position is now clear: Labour leads. They follow.
While Labour welcomes a windfall tax, there is much more that needs to be done as Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, argued in her response to the announcement which you can read here.
A Labour Government would address the underlying weaknesses in our economy, so that we can stop this spiral of inflation, lift wages and provide greater security for families and for our country.
Locally, LCC will continue to provide as much support as possible to people struggling with the cost of living crisis.
