On the high street in the leafy suburb of Roundhay, where Liz Truss went to school and her parents still live, there is a sense of frustration, and even anger, at the measures announced in Friday’s mini-budget.
Catherine Brittain, a childminder, was forced to negotiate with her energy provider, which upped her bills from £109 a month to £350. She was able to agree to pay £200 until after Christmas.
She said: “I can’t afford to pay more. I’m worried about the cost of living and at the moment I haven’t passed that on to parents but I’m not sure how much longer I can keep it up.”
She needs to provide a warm home for the children she cares for, as well as meals, and it comes at a cost.
“I’m not a charity. I could charge more but I charge what I think is fair.”
Brittain is worried about the ability of Truss – “a vile human being” – and her cabinet to prevent a huge economic crisis and is sceptical of the chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s tax reforms.
Kwarteng revealed a surprise cut to income taxes, scrapping the additional rate, which saw high earners paying 45% on any income over £150,000. He also brought forward a planned 1% cut in the basic rate of income tax from 2024 to next year.
“They’re just helping the rich and maybe a few crumbs eventually dribble down to us.
“We need a windfall tax, otherwise we’re just going to pass on these debts to our children.”
Last month, Sade Scales’s monthly direct debit for her gas and electricity rose from £65 to £89 overnight. It might not seem like much compared to what some people are paying but working as a part-time carer in Leeds while looking after a disabled child, any further rises will hit her hard.
Because her bills are comparatively low, she will not be helped by the energy price cap
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