‘I’m planning to give people a merry Christmas’
PLANS to help struggling families enjoy Christmas are being drawn up by the Government’s cost-ofliving business tsar.
David Buttress is working with retailers to help devise ways to keep down the festive food bill.
And the founder of online food order and delivery service Just Eat is also exploring ways to ensure some help with festive fun.
He said: “Christmas is a great time for us all. It’s also a really expensive time, and it can come with pressures, and I’m very sensitive to that.
“There’s two things around Christmas I want to focus on. The obvious one is retail…I’m already talking to one or two people around some of the food pressure prices that people will experience around Christmas.
“And the second bit, well it’s also a fun time.While we’re in a cost-ofliving challenge, let’s also remember it’s important where we can to try to help out so people still have a good time.
“I’m working with a couple of things around the tourism sector to hopefully help out with some of the challenges of going out.
“I think those moments where you alleviate some of that pressure can help with mental health.”
He went on: “But of course, I’m also focused on the other issues… around the cost of living.” Mr Buttress was invited to take up the sixmonth unpaid role by Boris Johnson in June.
The Government said he would “work in partnership with the private sector to identify, develop and promote new and existing business-led initiatives that support people with rising costs of living – from discounted prices or product offers to the expansion of business-run programmes”.
Mr Buttress said: “This campaign was always about doing tens of things with tens of different companies, which cumulatively add up to hopefully something meaningful to the consumer.” Mr Buttress, who grew up in South Wales, said his childhood inspires how he comes up with plans to help struggling households. He said: “I basically thought about it from my mum’s perspective, when I was a kid growing up with three brothers.”
Mr Buttress indicated that he
takes a similar approach to Conservative leadership contender Liz Truss about how to tackle the problems the country is facing, saying he is a “huge supporter of targeted support”, something the Foreign Secretary favours to blanket support.
Fears
Pressures on household finances continue to increase with fresh fears that the price cap on energy bills could rise even higher than expected.
Gas prices spiked again on Monday and unless they drop in the coming months, average households could be facing an annual energy bill of £4,650 from January and £5,456 from April. It was the worst warning yet from energy consultants Auxilione, and adds nearly £200 to its previous forecast for April.
The price of buying gas for the fourth quarter of this year is now around 100p higher per therm than it was just two week ago, while electricity prices have risen by around £100 per megawatt hour.
Major energy suppliers ScottishPower, E.on, Octopus Energy and British Gas-owner Centrica are said to be in favour of a fund that could freeze bills for two years.
The two first suppliers have suggested to ministers a so-called tariff deficit fund. Banks would supply the cash under a Government guarantee that would let bills be frozen for the period.
The banks would then be paid back over 10 to 15 years.
Mr Buttress has been working on a range of projects with businesses to help keep down households costs, including changes this week making it easier for people on low incomes to take advantage of reduced broadband costs.
It will allow internet service providers to verify
– with customers’ permission – whether they are in receipt of a relevant benefit and therefore eligible for extra financial support.
Mr Buttress paid tribute to the companies already finding ways to help people and called for others to “step up to the plate”.
The adviser said he backed companies like BP coming up with innovative ideas after reports that it wants to set up a cost-of-living foundation that could give pensioners vouchers for petrol and help foodbanks. He said: “Consumers will remember those companies that help in a difficult time… and I would encourage all the best British companies to do the same.
“Because this is a unique period in the last 20 years.”
Mr Buttress added that it was important to recognise “that some small/medium companies are finding this time tough, some large companies are finding this time tough.
Challenge
“So this is about us saying, where you can help, please help.
“It’s important that everyone steps up here – consumers, businesses and government – because you can’t tackle such a challenge that we’re all facing without all three parties working on it.”