Should the Budget have done more to help with the cost of living? Take our poll and have your say

Should the Budget have done more to help with the cost of living? Take our poll and have your say From energy payments to a fuel duty freeze, the Chancellor announced measures aimed at easing pressure on household finances. But should the Government have done more - have your say in our poll below Millions of households have been promised help with everyday costs as families continue to face pressure on their finances. Chancellor John Healey’s first budget unveiled measures covering energy bills, fuel and wages on Wednesday, October 28. The Government said the package would give families “breathing space”. One of the headline announcements was a one-off £100 Household Energy Payment for eligible households in council tax bands A to D in England. This comes as energy bills are predicted to surge to an average £2,200 a year in January. The payments will begin from January under a £2.6billion support package for 20 million households in council tax bands A-D in England, who will get the £100 paid directly into their bank accounts. "That's a £2.6 billion scheme to take the pressure off in the coldest months and see people through to the spring," the Chancellor said. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive funding so their governments can arrange similar support. An additional £100million will also go to councils in England to help households struggling with energy costs, including those outside the qualifying bands. Meanwhile, temporary VAT relief on domestic electricity will be extended until the end of June 2027. This is expected to save the average customer around £50 a year. The Chancellor told MPs: "This is a budget for the working people of Britain. For British businesses, big and small, delivered at a time when global uncertainties and pressures are swirling worldwide and hitting people here at home." The Government also announced plans to remove standing charges from household gas bills. These are the fixed daily fees customers pay regardless of how much gas they use. There are plans to do the same for electricity bills. Ofgem has been asked to deliver the change in 2027, or as soon as possible afterwards. However, the costs will move into gas unit rates rather than disappear altogether. Lower-use households could benefit, while heavier users could pay more. The Government says targeted protection for some households will be set out later. In the new budget, drivers will avoid a scheduled fuel-duty increase after the existing 5p-a-litre cut and freeze were extended until July 1, 2027. That keeps the tax lower than it would otherwise have been, but does not guarantee cheaper petrol or diesel at the pumps. Workers on the legal minimum wage will also see their hourly pay rise from April 1, 2027. The National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over will increase from £12.71 to £13.21. The rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will rise from £10.85 to £11.27, while the under-18 and apprentice rates will increase from £8 to £8.31. Most working-age benefit rates covered by the annual review will rise by 3.5% from April. The Universal Credit standard allowance for a single person aged 25 or over will increase by around £219 a year, with an increase of around £344 for couples where at least one person is 25 or over. However, Local Housing Allowance rates, which help determine support towards private rents, will remain frozen for 2027/28. This comes as then Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham had called for an end to the freeze as it would "make a real difference in preventing homelessness". Income-tax thresholds also remain frozen. The standard personal allowance stays at £12,570, meaning pay rises can leave more earnings subject to tax. Workers can therefore lose a greater share of their income to tax even without an increase in the headline rates. Income-tax bands for earnings differ in Scotland.