Felicity Hannah

Prime Minister Andy Burnham acknowledged that measures introduced to ease the cost-of-living crisis, including removing VAT from domestic electricity bills and ending subscription traps, are insufficient on their own. He pointed to a broader package of smaller interventions, greater public control over essential services, redesigned rail fares and further proposals for the October Budget. The government faces fiscal constraints, pressure from rising business costs and a pledge not to raise taxes on working people, while it also plans targeted electricity-bill discounts near new power infrastructure and business-rates relief for hospitality and cultural venues.