HOUSEHOLDS are in the midst of a cost of living catastrophe which is only set to get worse. Many will face higher taxes when National Insurance goes up, food bills are rising, council tax is expected to increase, lifelines such as the £20 increase in universal credit have been cut and real wages are set to fall as inflation, taxes and interest rates rise.

On top of all of this, annual fuel bills are expected to rise by a whopping 50 per cent to £2,000 when the current energy price cap is raised in April.

So it is right to call for emergency temporary relief. For example, the government must cut the rate of VAT for household energy bills as soon as possible. They must expand and increase the Warm Homes Discount, the costs of supplier failure must be prevented from going onto bills, there must be an increase in universal credit to offset soaring inflation — as well an increase in public-sector pay and the living wage. But as we all know, there are much longer-term problems that must be addressed urgently.