The minimum wage has gone up to £12.21 per hour for people over 21 and to £10 an hour for those aged 18-20, which is a record increase for those young workers.
Apprentices aged 16-17 also get a pay rise and move to £7.55 an hour, an increase of £1.15 to their daily rate. One in nine workers in this region will benefit.
Pensioners will receive up to £470 extra in their pockets this year, a 4.1% increase which will help people with the cost of living.
Positive Action
The Carers Allowance has increased from £151 to £196 and the Carer’s earnings limit, the amount you can earn on top of your caring duties, is being raised from £151 to £196 – something I know is close to the hearts of many of you. And I thank all carers for their unstinting dedication and devotion: I admire you all and applaud this change.
Southend has received an extra £1.7 million for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision and support new school places.
GP numbers in Southend have increased and this government’s recruitment drive has delivered 1,500 more GPs since October. And pharmacies are receiving more funding and services.
Boosting Living Standards
- Rises in the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage
- State Pension Increase
- More money for Carers
- Free Breakfast Club rollout
- Funding Increases for SEND provision
- More GPs on the frontline
- Wages are rising, with average workers set to be £700 better off over the next year
Since the General Election, interest rates have been cut three times and we’ve kept our promise not to raise your taxes, meaning you keep more of your money. We’ve stabilised the economy, we’ve protected the triple lock, frozen fuel duty, and capped the cost of school uniforms.
We’re putting more money into people’s pockets alongside the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation and I am glad to say living standards are set to rise twice as fast this parliament as in the last.
by David Burton-Sampson
MP for Southend West & Leigh
david.burtonsampson.mp@parliament.uk