VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Poverty: Didcot and Wantage

Asked by Olly GloverLiberal DemocratTreasuryTabled Answered 7 September 2026UIN 24978

The question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support low-income households in Didcot and Wantage with the costs they pay for essential goods and services such as energy, insurance and credit, known as the poverty premium.

Answered by Treasury

The Government is committed to giving people breathing space and helping with the cost of living.

We have already taken action to tackle rising bills by removing VAT from domestic electricity bills from 1st October. This will take around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap in October, benefitting millions of households this winter - and comes on top of the £150 removed from bills at the last Budget.

In July, the Government also announced a £2 bus fare cap on single tickets in England outside London from 1 January 2027. This will mean millions of passengers could save up to a third off a single journey, helping with the cost of everyday travel and supporting access to work, education, healthcare and leisure.

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