I’ve written to the Chancellor, asking her to extend the Household Support Fund. The Fund is due to expire at the end of September and provides crisis support for people unable to buy food, pay bills and cover other essentials.

This would create a cliff-edge in support for vulnerable households over winter. Earlier this year I joined 90 colleagues from across parties to ask the then Chancellor to keep the Household Support Fund in place, which led to a 6 month extension.

For many families in Norwich South, this Fund is a much-needed lifeline. Without it, even more families would be forced into poverty. 3 in 10 children in Norwich already live in poverty. This number would rise if the Fund were to end.

That’s why I’ve asked the Treasury to extend this lifeline for at least another 6 months – or establish an alternative hardship fund – until a longer-term solution is in place to address financial hardship and strengthen household resilience.