New cost of living benefits revealed - and how it helps people of South Tyneside
Families, workers and pensioners in South Tyneside to benefit as the government’s next wave of cost of living action comes into force.
A new wave of government cost of living measures will benefit families, workers and pensioners across South Tyneside.
This week, plans were unveiled to help support families and ease the cost of living, with new policies aimed at getting money back into people’s pockets.
The following measures came into force this week:
- The two child limit has been removed – a move that is expected to benefit 67,580 children in the North East and lift 450,000 children out of poverty across the country
- The state pension increased by 4.8% - reaching up to £241.30 per week for 548,433 in the North East (an increase of up to £575 a year)
- Workers get Statutory Sick Pay rights from day one of employment
- Workers also get day one entitlement to paternity leave and unpaid parental leave
- Universal Credit standard allowances increase by 2.3% more than inflation – benefitting 405,149 in the North East
The measures follow a raft of other policies coming into force on April 1, including an average cut to energy bills of £117 a year, increases to both the National Living Wage – a £900 pay rise for full time workers – and the National Minimum Wage – a boost of £1,500 for over 200,000 young workers – benefitting 130,000 in the North East, and the start of the £1 billion Crisis & Resilience Fund to support vulnerable households with things like heating oil.