A raft of new measures – coming into force today (1st April 2026) – will see wages go up, bills come down, and more support for those who need it most
A raft of new measures – coming into force today (1 April 2026) – will see wages go up, bills come down, and more support for those who need it most.
In an uncertain and volatile world, the Prime Minister is continuing to work with allies to push for de-escalation in the Middle East – which is the surest and quickest way to bring down pressures on prices.
On Monday, he hosted a roundtable with energy, insurance, and shipping companies and on Tuesday he chaired a COBR(M) meeting to assess the situation with Cabinet colleagues.
Measures coming into force today include:
– Increasing the National Living wage to £12.71 – a £900 boost for 2.4 million workers
– Increasing the National Minimum Wage to £10.85 – a £1,500 boost for over 200,000 young workers
– Cutting energy bills by an average £117 a year for millions across the UK – locked in until end of June
– The Crisis & Resilience Fund starts running – enabled by £1bn of funding – which helps vulnerable households with things like heating oil
– A freeze on prescription prices – so people aren’t spending more than a tenner on their medicines
This follows an update to the public on 16th March where the Prime Minister set out five steps that were already in place on the cost of living. These were:
1) Cutting the energy price cap until the end of June – thanks to last year’s Budget
2) The Chancellor’s decision to extend the cut in fuel duty until this September
3) £53 million for households that are most exposed to heating oil rises
4) Building Britain’s energy security and independence
5) Ongoing work towards a swift resolution of the situation in the Middle East
The cut to the energy price cap comes on top of the £150 Warm Home Discount that around 6 million families will have received this winter, following its expansion last year – and eligible billpayers will continue to receive this support every winter for the rest of the decade.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “In an uncertain and volatile world, it is my government’s duty to protect the British people at home and abroad.
“I know the public are concerned about the conflict in Iran and what it means for them and their families.
“I want to reassure them that they have a government on their side, working with allies on de-escalation and bearing down on the cost of living.
“Today, millions of people up and down the country will see energy bills go down by £117, wages go up for the lowest paid, and more support will be available for people who need it most – because of the decisions this government has taken.
“But we must go further to bear down on costs, and that means pushing for de-escalation in the Middle East and a re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. That is the best way we can bring down the cost of living for families and that is my focus.”
Young people are set to benefit from expanded employment support through a further 80 new Youth Hubs as the Government continues to provide opportunity across the UK.
80 new Youth Hub locations confirmed across Great Britain.
Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) Trust partners with DWP to support Britain’s Youth Hubs – taking jobs and opportunity straight to the heart of communities.
Expansion builds on commitment for every local area across Great Britain to have a Youth Hub.
Work with wider stakeholders – including the English Premier League – ongoing, to give every young person access to support locally.
Young people are set to benefit from expanded employment support through a further 80 new Youth Hubs as the Government continues to provide opportunity across the country.
Youth Hubs bring together Jobcentre Plus, local authority services, employers and training providers under one roof to support young people aged 16 to 24.
As part of this expansion, every Youth Hub will meet a set of minimum standards, ensuring young people can access on-site jobcentre support alongside mental health and housing support, skills and training opportunities, careers guidance and direct connections to employers with live job and apprenticeship opportunities.
The expansion is the latest step towards bringing Youth Hubs to every area in Great Britain to establish a national network and address the almost one million young people not earning or learning – a rise of 248,000 between 2021 to 2024 – so that every young person can progress wherever they live.
To mark the expansion, the Work and Pensions Secretary opened Scotland’s first Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair in Glasgow’s iconic Concert Hall, bringing employers, training providers and support services together to connect young people with jobs, skills and opportunities in the area.
Over 2,400 young people looking for work met leading employers including Scottish Power, HSBC, Barclays, Police Scotland, the Army, Royal Air Force, NHS24, Kier Construction and the Scottish Professional Football League Trust.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “Today marks a major boost for young people with 80 new Youth Hubs and Scotland’s first Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair driving opportunity.
“We are delivering support in every region, connecting young people with employers, and meeting them where they are so they can move into work, as we reform the welfare state into a working state.
“This is about breaking down barriers, opening doors and ensuring every young person can earn or learn, wherever they live.”
The Scottish Professional Football League Trust will partner with DWP to deliver Youth Hubs across Scotland, as the Government continues its drive to deliver support to young people where they are.
This builds on work across England, where Premier League is working with DWP to support the Youth Guarantee and help young people access jobs, training and support.
80 new Youth Hubs are coming to communities across Great Britain@SPFLTrust is partnering with us to deliver 10 of these across Scotland, where today’s Scottish Youth Guarantee Jobsfair brought together employers, young people and opportunity https://t.co/8KzwaaaOkypic.twitter.com/xtpQHevQ6q
— Department for Work and Pensions (@DWPgovuk) March 25, 2026
Nicky Reid, SPFL Trust Chief Executive, said: “We’re extremely proud to have been chosen to deliver these vital Youth Hubs in partnership with the DWP across the country.
“Football clubs and their associated community trusts are places where many young people feel a strong sense of connection, making them a natural fit for this programme.
“These initiatives will play a crucial role in helping participants access the training and support they need to take the next step in their careers or education.”
Youth Hubs will be expanded to over 360 areas across Great Britain over the next three years, from Manchester and Salford to Dundee and Newport.
The 80 new Hubs are launching across Scotland, Wales and England with delivery already well under way and the expansion seeing Youth Hubs open from November 2025.
Today’s announcement is part of the £2.5 billion investment in the Youth Guarantee and changes to the Growth and Skills Levy to prioritise young apprentices, which together create 200,000 jobs and apprenticeship opportunities.
This includes a Youth Jobs Grant worth £3,000 for employers for every young person they hire aged 18-24 who has been on UC for six months, an expanded Jobs Guarantee for 18-to-24-year-olds, and new foundation apprenticeships in key sectors.
These commitments come alongside the government’s expansion of its innovative ‘Pathfinder’ programme to Nottingham and the North East, following early success in Wakefield. Like the Youth Hub model, Pathfinders bring together local councils, mayors and health teams and partners to design employment support that reflects the specific needs, employers and job markets in each community.
The Pathfinder programme forms part of the government’s broader ambition to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to employment support, providing personalised, practical help to people before they reach crisis point.
These steps ‘show the Government’s commitment to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to earn or learn’.
Working people will be protected from unfair price rises with new plans set out by the government today to detect and crack down on companies if they exploit the crisis in the Middle East.
Ministers are concerned that some companies could exploit the crisis to carry out price gouging – when a company puts prices up to an unfair and unjustifiably high level during a crisis, knowing that customer have little choice but to pay.
To deal with this unfair practice, a new anti-profiteering framework is being brought in by the Government and regulators like the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to clamp down on price gouging if it takes place.
As part of that, the government will not hesitate to introduce new time-limited, targeted powers for the CMA and other key regulators if that is needed, and the exact powers are being worked through at pace.
The move will further strengthen our world-class competition and consumer protection regime, which is already protecting households, and comes as the CMA have stepped up their monitoring of fuel prices and accelerated their review of fuel margins made by businesses since the conflict began.
The announcement follows the Chancellor and Energy Secretary’s meeting with petrol retailers to discuss what more can be done to support motorists with the cost of living, and the Chancellor is expected to meet with supermarkets and banks to discuss how they can support consumers in the coming days.
A Government spokesperson said:“We are fighting your corner to keep the cost of living down in these uncertain times. We will not allow companies to exploit this crisis to hike their prices to unjustifiable levels.
“Whether at the fuel pump filling up your car or at the till paying for your groceries, we are working with regulators to make sure the price you pay is a fair one.”
The Chancellor will deliver more details later today.
New initiative will support local areas to reimagine and revive their struggling high streets
Communities are set to see their areas transformed through a £319 million investment announced today, as part of the Pride in Place strategy to restore pride and opportunity in neighbourhoods across the country.
The investment is delivered through four clear strands:
High streets reinvigorated – A £301 million commitment to High Streets Innovation Partnerships will support local communities to reimagine and revive struggling high streets and make them fit for the future.
Through these partnerships, town centres could be transformed into mixed-use spaces with new homes, health services, libraries, community hubs and green spaces.
Local businesses and other organisations will be encouraged to get involved, with locations confirmed in due course.
Funding will also support a summer of activity on high streets this year, with innovative measures to boost footfall — just as areas are set to benefit from major culture and sporting events including the World Cup.
Safe places for children to play – A further £18 million will be spent ensuring children in 66 of the most deprived communities have quality play spaces, with cash earmarked to buy new or upgrade playgrounds across the country from Tyneside to Torquay.
Areas with the highest income deprivation affecting children and the poorest access to play were chosen, to ensure money goes to places that need it most.
Local progress accelerated – Plans are also moving forward for areas in the first phase of Pride in Place, providing communities £20 million over 10 years to spend on what matters most to them and kickstarting a wave of regeneration across the country.
Tearing up the rulebook on public spend2ing – Five projects will test a new initiative to get local agencies such as councils, the NHS and schools to pool their cash and work together instead of operating in silos.
The projects will tackle the SEND challenge in Liverpool, prevent youth offending in the North East, support teenagers struggling with their mental health in the Black Country, help adults facing multiple disadvantage in Doncaster, and get young people into work in West Yorkshire.
If it works, the government intends to roll this model out nationwide.
Taken together, this marks the latest step forward in the government’s mission to restore pride in communities across the country and put power back in the hands of people with skin in the game.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed said: “People have watched their communities decline for too long, with little say over how they’re run. This government is determined to change that — giving communities the tools, the funding and the power they need to rebuild.
“From new playgrounds to reimagined high streets, we’re putting power back in people’s hands. People across the country will see and feel the difference this investment makes, restoring pride in local areas.”
Funding for playgrounds will flow straight to local areas, with no requirements to bid or compete against other places. Councils receiving funding will also be encouraged to consider buying British materials.
Pride in Place areas pressing ahead with their plans today include:
In Canvey Island, where the community plan puts the cost-of-living front and centre – with funding directed at a stronger town centre, better local health services, more for young people to do, and improved job opportunities and wages.
In Clifton, a new community hub at the heart of their neighbourhood will be built – a focal point for local services, activities and support. The funding will also improve parks, strengthen the high street, and open up new opportunities for young people.
In Dewsbury, the Neighbourhood Board is funding the establishment of an enforcement and prevention team to address crime and anti-social behaviour.
In Dudley, 15 trusted community representatives have been trained to lead conversations in their own networks, reaching residents who might not engage through traditional routes – building community power from day one.
In Durham, the funding will create a ’children and young people’s fund’ and support local businesses to invest in street safety and active travel.
In Eastbourne, the plan centres on bringing empty and neglected buildings back into use — giving them new purpose for the community. Funding will also target deprived neighbourhoods, revitalise the town centre and seafront, and create better opportunities for local people.
In Greenock, a new Enterprise Hub will give start-ups and growing businesses a base to thrive — backed by investment in skills, heritage, town centre living, and place branding to attract residents, visitors and investors.
In Leigh, young people are firmly in the driving seat, with strong youth leadership, extensive local engagement and clear power-sharing embedded from the start.
In Torquay, residents are driving improvements to streets, the town centre, and skills and training.
In Wrexham, the funding will go towards a new youth zone and making the town centre safer and more welcoming for everyone.
This funding package was first confirmed at the Budget by the Chancellor.
The 66 communities receiving playground funding are:
Sandwell, Walsall, Dudley, Salford, Tameside, Wolverhampton, Redcar and Cleveland, Bolton, Oldham, Wirral, Rotherham, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Tendring, Knowsley, North East Lincolnshire, Hyndburn, Blackpool, East Lindsey, Thanet, Middlesbrough, Castle Point, Pendle, Trafford, Sunderland, Rochdale, Preston, Manchester, Stockport, Wyre, North Tyneside, Medway, Hartlepool, Sefton, St. Helens, County Durham, Dover, Blackburn with Darwen, Havant, Bradford, Wigan, Bury, Doncaster, Wakefield, Calderdale, Fenland, Bassetlaw, Kirklees, Darlington, Isle of Wight, North Northamptonshire, Torbay, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Eastbourne, Mansfield, Northumberland, Ashfield, Barnsley, Wychavon, Cheshire East, Canterbury, Hastings, Halton, Lincoln, West Lancashire, Southend-on-Sea (i.e none in Scotland).
Joint Statement from the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the USA and the High Representative of the EU
We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, express support to our partners in the region in the face of the unjustifiable attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies.
We condemn in the strongest terms the regime’s reckless attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Iraq, in line with UNSC Resolution 2817.
The Iranian regime’s unjustifiable attacks against these states also threaten regional and global security. We call for the immediate and unconditional cessation of all attacks by the Iranian regime.
We reaffirm the importance of safeguarding maritime routes, and safety of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz and all associated critical waterways, as well as the safety and security of supply chains and the stability of energy markets. We stand ready to take necessary measures to support global supply of energy such as the stockpile release decided by International Energy Agency members on March 11.
The G7 has repeatedly stated that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and that it must halt its ballistic missile program, end its destabilizing activities in the region and around the globe, and cease the appalling violence and repression against its own people.
We support the right of the countries unjustifiably attacked by Iran or by Iranian proxies to defend their territories and protect their citizens. We reaffirm our unwavering support for their security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
We condemn the brazen attacks in Iraq by Iran and its militias against diplomatic facilities and energy infrastructure, particularly in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, and against U.S. and Counter ISIS Coalition forces, and the Iraqi people.
Improvements needed to ensure successful completion of Afghan resettlement programme
37,950 people arrived in the UK under Afghan resettlement schemes between April 2021 and December 2025.
Government expects to spend a total of £5.7 billion on Afghan resettlement up to 2032-33, of which £2.6 billion has yet to be incurred.
The resettlement programme needs to urgently complete the key elements of effective programme management, including having better cross-government management information.
The government must overcome ongoing challenges including a lack of available housing and poor data to ensure its programme to resettle thousands of Afghan citizens in the UK is successfully completed, according to a new National Audit Office (NAO) report.
Since 2010, the government has offered resettlement in the UK to certain groups of Afghan citizens, including people who worked with the UK government in some capacity during its military presence in Afghanistan. This work sometimes came with significant risk to those Afghan citizens and their families, who feared reprisals from the Taliban.
Although the schemes closed to new applicants in July 2025, thousands of Afghans are still being processed for resettlement.3 As at November 2025, 29,655 people were waiting to hear the results of their eligibility assessments.
Between April 2021 and December 2025, 37,950 people arrived in the UK under the schemes and, as at February 2025, the government estimated it would ultimately resettle around 9,000 more. Of those resettled, as at December 2025, 80% were living in settled accommodation.
The government anticipates that its work to resettle and integrate people will continue until 2032-33, costing a total of £5.7 billion. It spent £3.1 billion on the schemes between April 2021 and December 2025, meaning a significant proportion of the costs have not yet been incurred.
Several government departments worked at pace under complex and demanding circumstances when establishing the schemes,especially after the Taliban takeover resulted in a far greater number of people applying and becoming eligible for resettlement than had originally been envisaged.
The need to respond quickly, coupled with departments being responsible for different groups of people and resettlement stages, meant that the schemes became complex and inefficient. This is likely to have led to higher costs and worse outcomes for resettled people.
To address these challenges, in December 2024 the government merged the resettlement schemes into a combined Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), which aims to bring all eligible Afghan citizens to the UK by March 2029 and to have moved those citizens out of transitional accommodation by December 2029.
Although the creation of the ARP has led to some improvements, significant risks remain. These include poor data on the people to be resettled and their needs, and a lack of available housing, resulting in greater than anticipated levels of resettled people becoming homeless.
To ensure the successful completion of the ARP, the NAO recommends that the UK government:
urgently completes the outstanding elements of effective programme management
undertakes scenario analysis to understand the potential barriers to completing the resettlement of all eligible people to the UK, and how these can be overcome
monitors the effect of the changes under the ARP, particularly the introduction of a nine-month limit for transitional accommodation
uses the results of pilot programmes involving local authorities and community organisations to identify innovative approaches and spread good practice
identifies measures of successful integration for Afghan resettled people and uses these to assess outcomes
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: “Government departments have worked together in challenging conditions to resettle thousands of Afghan citizens who were at risk of reprisals from the Taliban.
“Although progress has been made under the new Afghan Resettlement Programme, the government has more to do to successfully resettle the affected people in the UK.”
Shake up of rules on who can join a credit union will support more families, workers, students and retirees to access fairer financial products.
Bigger, stronger credit unions as the Government raises the cap that can limit growth and makes it easier for credit unions to expand and merge.
Move will see more households access cheaper alternatives to high-cost credit, helping people access fair loans and build savings through community lenders.
MORE people will benefit from affordable loans and savings as the Westminster Government changes the rules so more people can join credit unions, helping households with the cost of living.
Delivering on its manifesto pledge to grow the mutuals sector, the Government is today (18 March) setting out reforms to the rules on who can join credit unions in Great Britain.
By making it easier for credit unions to serve more people in their communities, the changes will support families, workers, students and retirees to access fairer financial products and build financial resilience.
Credit unions offer affordable, community based financial services and play an important role in promoting financial inclusion. Enabling credit unions to expand and broaden their membership will help ensure that more people can access fair, lower-cost alternatives to high-cost credit. This will strengthen the provision of responsible financial services and support households with the cost of living.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said: “These reforms will help more people get access to affordable credit and a safe place to save, so families have a real alternative to high-cost credit.
“We’re delivering on our manifesto pledge to grow the mutual sector by backing credit unions to expand and serve more communities. It’s another step in making financial services more accessible and supporting people to build financial resilience.”
The reforms will include:
Bigger credit unions, serving more people: Government will raise the cap on locality-based credit unions from three million to 10 million potential members, making it easier for them to grow and merge.
Students included: Students will be able to join locality-based credit unions, alongside people who live or work in the area.
Modern rules for modern families and working lives: Credit unions will be able to serve more relatives and household members, and members will be able to stay with (or join) their credit union after retirement as full members.
These reforms follow the Call for Evidence on credit unions’ common bond rules launched after the Chancellor’s first Mansion House speech.
This also builds on the Government’s wider work to improve financial inclusion and resilience across the UK. As part of the Financial Inclusion Strategy, the Government is also working closely with the financial services sector and consumer groups to bring forward interventions to make it easier for people to access a bank account, support people to build savings and improve financial education.
Lakshman Chandrasekera, Chief Executive Officer, London Mutual Credit Union said: “I warmly welcome today’s announcement. Raising the common bond cap to 10 million gives credit unions the freedom to grow and keep wealth within the communities we serve.
“In London, we see first-hand the demand for fair, affordable finance. This reform means many more people across the UK will be able to access it — building savings, reducing reliance on high-cost credit, and developing real financial resilience. This is a transformative moment for the sector.”
Frances McCann, CEO, Scotwest Credit Union said: “Today’s announcement is excellent news for credit unions and for the communities we serve.
“Raising the locality cap to ten million potential members and modernising the rules around family and retirement membership are exactly the kind of practical, meaningful reforms the sector has been asking for.”
“At Scotwest we see every day the difference a credit union can make to households that need an affordable alternative to high-cost credit. These changes will allow more credit unions to reach more of those people.”
Matt Bland, Chief Executive of ABCUL said: “This announcement marks an important milestone in the Government’s recognition of the vital role credit unions play in strengthening financial resilience and improving financial inclusion across Great Britain.
“Reforms to the common bond will enable credit unions to expand their reach, serve more communities and work together more effectively to deliver sustainable growth.
“As the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy moves into delivery, it is encouraging to see credit unions recognised as a central part of improving access to fair and affordable financial services.”
Chancellor confirms over £50 million for low income families who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices.
The price of kerosene – the fuel used for heating oil – has been especially affected by the conflict in the Middle East and has risen faster than other fuels such as petrol and gas.
Government announces intention to regulate heating oil sector to introduce new consumer protections, alongside securing agreement with industry to quickly improve customer experiences.
Families are to benefit from over £50 million to help people pay for the rising cost of heating oil. With winter drawing to a close, and families struggling with the rising price of heating oils, this government is committed to helping ensure that vulnerable families are able to heat their homes and access hot water.
Scotland will receive £4.6 million.
The price of kerosene – the fuel used for heating oil - has been particularly impacted by the conflict in the Middle East and is currently double that of crude oil.
In Great Britain, unlike gas and electricity customers, those who heat their homes with oil are not covered by the energy price cap, meaning they are exposed to more immediate energy price hikes.
Many, including some of the most vulnerable households, will need to pay an upfront lump sum to top up their tanks in order to maintain their heating and hot water.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “Heating oil prices have spiked sharply, and I know that for families in rural communities that is a real and urgent problem.
”That’s why we’re putting over £50 million of support to help the people who need it most, including funding for the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver support in Northern Ireland where this issue hits hardest.”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “This government is committed to fighting people’s corner in tackling cost of living pressures. With this investment, alongside new measures to protect customers against any unfair practices, we are standing up for the British people.”
To bridge the gap, the Chancellor is announcing over £50 million of targeted financial support, helping low-income households in rural communities who have no choice but to top up their tanks at a time when prices have risen so significantly.
In England, funding will be distributed by local authorities via the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which comes into effect from 1 April, targeted areas with higher rates of oil heating.
This is a particular issue in Northern Ireland, where a greater proportion of homes rely on heating oil, and we have allocated £17 million to support them. England will receive £27 million, Scotland £4.6 million and Wales £3.8 million.
This funding has been allocated based on census data, reflecting where the greatest need is, and it will be allocated directly to the devolved governments, with the expectation that it will be used to support vulnerable households.
Heating oil is different from other sectors in the energy market as it does not have the same consumer protections and is not regulated by Ofgem. The government intends to introduce new consumer protections for heating oil customers and is rapidly exploring new ways to step in and ensure households are better protected.
This includes:
An agreement secured with industry on a strengthened Code of Practice to rapidly provide enhanced protections to customers, including greater flexibility on delivery volumes and improving price transparency and formalising a Priority Customers Register – meaning all customers who are vulnerable are eligible for prioritised support in times of disruption.
Introducing stronger consumer protections in the heating oil market, which could cover dispute resolution, a greater variety of repayment options for those facing hardship, greater price transparency and enhanced protections for vulnerable groups such as the elderly.
Supporting the Competition and Markets Authority’s plans to carry out a more comprehensive examination of the UK’s heating oil industry.
Exploring the creation of a new ombudsman or appointment of a regulator, such as Ofgem, to champion consumers, and taking powers to do so through the Energy Independence Bill.
Working with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that protections are fit for purpose for Northern Irish households, who are particularly reliant on heating oil.
In addition, the Chancellor earlier this week wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to ask that it remains vigilant across heating oil prices and supports CMA action to tackle unjustified price increases.
The government will not tolerate profiteering or unfair practices and urge customers to share any evidence of price manipulation with the CMA.
Vulnerable households who are facing immediate financial difficulties as a result of rising heating oil prices are encouraged to contact their local authority to find out what support may be available to them.
Chancellor and Energy Secretary to meet with petrol retailers and energy suppliers in Downing Street today with a clear message: drivers must get a fair deal at the pump.
Chancellor asks CMA to crack down on any rip‑offs on road fuel and heating oil — warning she “will not tolerate” firms exploiting the situation to make excess profits.
Fuel Finder will help drivers spot the cheapest forecourt nearby, as Government takes action to ensure all major fuel retailers are signed up.
Rachel Reeves has written to the Competition and Markets Authority requesting it stays on high alert for unjustifiable price rises on petrol, diesel and heating oil, to support families and businesses.
The Chancellor said she is determined to support people with the cost of living amid conflict in the Middle East and will not stand by if firms use uncertainty as cover to push up prices and protect margins at the expense of drivers.
Her intervention comes ahead of a Downing Street roundtable on Friday evening, where petrol retailers and energy suppliers will be pressed on what they are doing to keep prices down — and what more they can do to ensure changes in costs are passed on fairly.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “I will not tolerate any company exploiting the current situation to make excess profits at consumers’ expense.
“I’m backing drivers and families — and I expect a fair deal at the pump.”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:“Tackling the cost of living is our number one priority – all fuel retailers must sign up for Fuel Finder so drivers can find the cheapest price at the pump.
“We will not hesitate to act to protect consumers against any unfair practices.”
TODAY (Friday), the Chancellor and Energy Secretary will call on industry to explain why prices vary so widely, how quickly forecourts respond when costs ease, and what immediate steps firms will take to make sure motorists aren’t left paying over the odds.
The Chancellor noted earlier this week that prices varied from £1.27 per litre to £1.80 per litre between forecourts.
This comes after the Energy Secretary met with the CEO of the Competition and Markets Authority on Tuesday 10 March to discuss ensuring consumers were protected from any unfair price rises.
Drivers should not have to guess whether they’re being overcharged — so the UK Government is accelerating its Fuel Finder, making it easier to see who’s cheapest locally and to take business away from the priciest pumps.
All major supermarkets have confirmed they are now providing real-time data to the government’s Fuel Finder scheme, with almost 90% of retailers already registered, and government taking action on the final 10%.
Greater transparency on prices will drive up competition and is set to see households who own a car save on average £40 a year at the pump.
And the message to any retailer dragging their feet is straightforward: if you won’t be transparent, you’ll be called out — because sunlight on prices is one of the strongest tools consumers have to force competition and drive costs down.
The government has launched a ‘rallying call for action, setting out the first steps towards a more connected, cohesive and resilient United Kingdom’
PROTECTING WHAT MATTERS
Millions of families, friends and neighbours will feel a stronger sense of community, unity and national pride thanks to renewed efforts to stamp out extremism, hate and division announced yesterday.
Today the government is launching a rallying call for action, setting out the first steps towards a more connected, cohesive and resilient United Kingdom – a place where neighbour continues to look out for neighbour and people come together with a shared sense of values, pride, and belonging.
The action plan follows decades of rapid change – technological advancements, demographic change, local industries collapsing, the increasing cost of living and the decline of vital public services. This has caused a strain on social cohesion. Bad actors, including from abroad, have sought to stoke community tensions and promote toxic division and extremist ideology in our communities.
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed told the House of Commons: ”Today, through the publication of Protecting What Matters, we set out the first steps towards a more confident, cohesive, and resilient United Kingdom.
“This plan is what patriotism means to this government. We choose to celebrate our national successes and historic achievements, we choose to come together in the best of times and the worst of times, and we choose to take on those who try to divide us.”
This publication – Protecting What Matters – puts the emphasis on healing divided communities, setting out clear expectations around what it means to live together and integrate into society, tackling those trying to subvert our shared values and ultimately promoting pride, unity and tolerance.
This comes as the latest statistics show that hate crime is rising, with Jewish people disproportionately more targeted by hate crime than any other group.
To tackle antisemitism head on, the government is investing at record levels to scale up security at synagogues and schools, clamping down on antisemitic extremism, and rolling out training on antisemitism in the workplace.
Religious hate crimes targeted at Muslims are also at record levels, with almost half of these crimes targeted towards the Muslim community and many living in fear that they will be targeted because of how they look or assumptions over where they come from. This government has a duty to act but cannot tackle something that has not been defined.
The UK government is taking the historic step of adopting a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility which makes it clear what is unacceptable prejudice, discrimination and hatred directed at Muslims or those perceived to be Muslim.
Crucially, this definition protects the fundamental right to freedom of speech while protecting people from unacceptable abuse and violence. A special representative on anti-Muslim hostility will also be appointed to support action to strengthen understanding, reporting and response.
This sits alongside a new suite of measures to bring communities across the country together:
Tough action on extremism with stronger powers to shut down charities promoting extremism and transformed capability to disrupt extremists, including stopping hate preachers entering the UK, and an annual State of Extremism report.
Clear expectations will be set around integration for people looking to settle in the UK, focused on shared language, local participation and respect for shared values. To support this, the Government will look at how English is taught, and if new technology can help more people can speak the language confidently.
A £500,000 investment in community-led school linking projects will bring children from different backgrounds together, helping them forge friendships and understand what they have in common. And tougher oversight of home education – including the first-ever mandatory register of children not in school – will ensure no child misses out on the shared values and experiences that bind communities together.
This all builds on the £5.8 billion committed to hundreds of areas through the Pride in Place programme, with power put in the hands of local people.
