The government cannot afford to rest on the laurels of the £15bn package announced by Rishi Sunak last month to help people through the cost of living crisis. It was urgently needed because the chancellor misjudged the scale of the problems facing millions of families in his spring statement in March. As a result, ministers were left running to catch up and probably reaped a smaller political dividend than if they had acted earlier.
Despite that, the government is in danger of repeating its mistake. Although Mr Sunak’s measures will insulate the poorest families from the hike in energy bills, the highest inflation in 40 years will also cause other problems, notably rising food prices.
The school summer holidays are fast approaching and there is an urgent need to ensure that children from poor families do not go hungry. As we report today, already overstretched food banks expect a further surge in demand for help from struggling families unless the government enhances support over the holiday period.
