'I remember the fear of the postman bringing another bill my family couldn’t afford to pay' - PM Sir Keir Starmer writes exclusively for the Express & Star
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer writes exclusively for the Express & Star about how he will cut energy bills for 270,000 families in the West Midlands.
I know families across the Black Country are still struggling with the cost of living. I know the stress that brings. I remember growing up, the fear of the postman bringing another bill my family couldn’t afford to pay. So I’m determined to put more money in the pockets of working people through this government’s Plan for Change.
That’s why, this winter, we’re making sure almost three million extra households receive £150 off their energy bills. Across the West Midlands, 270,000 families benefit. Every household on means-tested benefits will now qualify for this support, easing the pressures on families this Christmas. And the energy price cap fall next month will also give families extra breathing room.
This is about peace of mind. It’s about knowing you can heat your home without fearing the next bill. And it’s about fairness — making sure support reaches the people who need it most.
In the long run, we are investing in cleaner, cheaper British energy. That will reduce our dependence on foreign fossil fuels, but it will also create good, well-paid jobs in the UK while driving people’s bills down for decades to come.
But there’s much more to do to support people immediately. We’re rolling out free school meals and breakfast clubs across the country - with 82 already up and running in the West Midlands - to save parents cash and put children in the best position to learn. We’re expanding childcare provisions to support families with their childcare costs. And we’re capping the costs of school uniforms. All of this will save hard working families from Wolverhampton to Walsall hundreds of pounds a year.
In our first year in government, we made the decisions necessary to stabilise the economy and fix the foundations. Now we are moving on to the next phase –driving renewal in every corner of the country, putting more money in people’s pockets and delivering the security people deserve.
We’re increasing the minimum wage, giving millions of low-income workers £1,400 extra a year. We’ve laid the ground for 4 cuts in interest rates, keeping people’s mortgages low. And nine million pensioners this year will benefit from the Winter Fuel Payment, because we have raised the threshold to £35,000.
We’re only just getting started. There’s much more for us to do. But this winter, thousands of families across the West Midlands will feel the difference. That’s what this government was elected for, and I won’t stop working until every person feels better off, more secure, and able to look to the future with confidence.
