Cost of Living: West Dorset

The Government is committed to improving living standards for everyone, in every part of the UK. Our strategy for improving living standards is through growing the economy, which is the only way to sustainably increase wages, and through tackling inflation, which erodes people's pay checks.

The Government recognises the ongoing cost of living pressures faced by rural communities and the additional impacts of the conflict in Iran. We are monitoring the situation closely and stand ready to act further if market conditions worsen significantly later this year. The Government has already stepped in to protect families from the most acute cost pressures, including helping heating oil customers with spiralling costs. Last month, the Government confirmed there will be no rise to fuel duty this year, and announced targeted support including cutting the duty rate on red diesel by over a third, benefitting the sectors most exposed to high fuel prices, including farmers. Rural communities will also benefit from the Government’s decision to uprate mileage rates for employees who use their own vehicle for work and the self-employed who use the simplified expenses rates – with the backdated increase for the 2026/27 tax year providing a benefit for up to 2 million employees and 1 million self-employed people.

Thanks to action taken at Budget, the energy price cap fell by £117 on 1^st April, with savings locked in until the end of June. The Government has expanded the £150 Warm Home Discount to 6 million lower income households and provided an additional £1.5 billion capital investment to tackle fuel poverty through the Warm Homes Plan. And the Government’s Great British Summer Savings package will help families over the summer holidays, including via a temporary VAT cut on summer attractions and children’s meals in restaurants and cafes, and free bus travel across England for children aged between 5 and 15 throughout August.