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<p>The Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income
families. We will spend over £245bn through the welfare system in 2022/23 including
£111bn on people of working age.</p><p> </p><p>In 2023/24, subject to parliamentary
approval, we are uprating all benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%. In order
to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions
the benefit cap levels are also increasing by the same amount.</p><p /><p>The Government
understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living this winter and
is taking action to help. The Government's Energy Price Guarantee will save a typical
British household around £900 this winter, based on what energy prices would have
been under the current price cap - reducing bills by roughly a third. This is in addition
to the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy
Bills Support Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>For those who require additional support the current
Household Support Fund, running in England from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023, is
providing £421 million of funding. The devolved administrations have been allocated
£79 million through the Barnett formula. The Household Support Fund will continue
until March 2024. This year long extension allows Local Authorities in England to
continue to provide discretionary support to those most in need to help with the significantly
rising cost of living. The Devolved Administrations will receive consequential funding
as usual to spend at their discretion.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, for 2023/24, households
on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments.
This will be split into three payments of around £300 each across the 2023/24 financial
year. A separate £300 payment will be made to pensioner households on top of their
Winter Fuel Payments and individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will
receive a £150 payment. Further to this, the amended Energy Price Guarantee will save
the average UK household £500 in 2023/24.</p><p> </p><p>With 1.16 million job vacancies
across the UK, our focus remains firmly on supporting parents to move into, and progress
in work, an approach which is based on clear evidence about the importance of employment
- particularly where it is full-time - in substantially reducing the risks of child
poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children. To further
support those who are in work, from 1 April 2023 subject to parliamentary approval,
the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers
aged 23 and over - the largest ever cash increase for the NLW.</p>
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