Starmer Unveils New Measures To Help Ease Cost Of Living. Will They Be Enough?

Four government measures meant to ease the cost of living are set to start on April 1 – but will they be enough to help Brits?

Iranian forces continue to effectively block the major shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz, in response to USIsraeli strikes.

The closure of the waterway, which transports a fifth of the world’s oil supply, is rocking international markets and sending fuel costs skyrocketing.

Brits were already facing a financial squeeze before the conflict began at the end of February.

The latest Which? consumer insight tracker – recording from the month leading up to March 13 – found half of UK households are now making at least one adjustment, like selling their possessions or getting loans, to cover the cost of essentials on a daily basis.

The watchdog also found 67% of UK adults are now expecting the national economy to worsen over the next year.

However, the government has urged the public to carry on as usual while it puts “contingency plans” in place.

Keir Starmer also launched Labour’s local elections campaign on Monday by insisting his party understands “most people are concerned most of all about the cost of living”.

In a separate statement, the prime minister promised the public that they “have a government on their side, working with allies on de-escalation and bearing down on the cost of living.”

But, he admitted: “We must go further to bear down on costs, and that means pushing for de-escalation in the Middle East and a re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz.

“That is the best way we can bring down the cost of living for families and that is my focus.”

Here’s a quick look at the measures the government is introducing on Wednesday – and their effectiveness…

1. Increasing The National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage

The government will be increasing the National Living wage to £12.71.

That works out to a £900 increase for 2.4 million workers aged 21 and over.

More than 200,000 young workers – those aged between 18 to 20 – will also enjoy a hike of £1,500 per year as the National Minimum wage goes up to £10.85.

The director of the Living Wage Foundation, Katherine Chapman, said last November – when the change was announced – that this was “a really positive move’.

However, she claimed: “It will still fall short of the voluntary real Living Wage which is the only wage rate based solely on the cost of living.

“The real Living Wage is currently £13.45 in the UK with a higher rate of £14.80 in London.”

Chair of the Low Pay Commission, Philippa Stroud, also warned about the impact rising wages would have an businesses.

She said in November: “In our discussions this year with workers and employers alike, it has been clear that no one is having an easy time.”

2. Cutting Energy Bills

The energy regulator Ofgem has decided the energy price cap will be set at £1,641 per year between April 1 and June 30.

That’s a decrease of 6.6% compared to between January 1 and March 31, when the annual price cap was at £1,758.

However, the April-June cap was decided prior to the breakout of the Iran war.

The next cap, from July to September, will likely go up as a result of the conflict.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is looking at plans to help with energy bills expected to get closer to nearly £2,000 a year from July.

The government has suggested it may implement some targeted households for those most in need, rather than the universal support offered by Liz Truss’s government in 2022.

Jess Ralston, the head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: “Bills going up again because of war thousands of miles away will be a tough pill to swallow for households still saddled with debt from last time.”

3. Freeze On Prescription Prices Extended

NHS prescription charges in England have been frozen at £9.90 per item for the 2026/27 financial year to help with financial pressures.

Prescriptions will still be free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

However, the Prescription Charges Coalition’s Laura Cockram pointed out that people living with long-term conditions who are not exempt still feel the cost is too high.

She said: “No one should have to worry about affording the medication they need to stay well, so although a freeze on prescription charges is more welcome than an increase it’s not enough.

“Unlike in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, people in England with Parkinson’s and other long-term conditions still have to pay for the prescriptions they need to manage their health. The UK government must rethink.

“At the least, the government should review the prescription charge exemption list so people with long-term conditions like Parkinson’s, MS, asthma, HIV don’t have to pay an ill health tax.”

4. Crisis and Resilience Fund

This £1 billion a year council-run scheme in England will start running from April 1 2026 until March 31, 2029.

It’s money from the government which can be used for people struggling with a financial shock or unexpected finances. The fund will be focused on those who are in or close to poverty, disabled or in older households.

Anyone can apply for the fund for money towards their energy bills, food, clothing and furniture.

It will replace the Household Support Fund which has now ended.

It’s thought the government may pump extra cash into the fund if fuel and energy costs do rise in the summer.

Anti-hunger charity, the Trussell Trust, welcomed the news, calling it a “major milestone”.

“Effective crisis support is crucial to prevent people from falling into severe hardship, so they can still afford the essentials we all need,” the charity said.

However, it warned there is still work to do and “is not a substitute for the deeper reforms needed to the inadequate rates of social security which fail to protect people from going without the essential day to day”.

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This Aphrodisiac Easter Egg From Lovehoney Will Get You Humping Like Bunnies

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Forget everything you think you know about chocolate. We’re not mad at it as it is, but Lovehoney has a new release that proves we should all be expecting a lot more from our choccy treats.

While the most pleasure you’ve got from a chocolate egg thus far might have been giving in to that moreish flavour, this Easter Lovehoney has a new love egg out, and it’s not (exactly) what you think.

Not just a delicious treat to snack on (in fact, Lovehoney advises only eating half per day), this egg is packed with the natural aphrodisiac Liboost to please your downstairs, too.

Made from Damiana extract, Liboost supposedly improves blood flow to your pleasure spots, whose effects you’ll be grateful for by the time you get to the ‘surprise’ portion.

Spoiler alert: it’s a bullet vibrator, loaded with three vibration speeds and seven patterns. Thanks to its hard plastic exterior, the tiny toy packs quite a punch and is the exact size you’d want from a toy to slip between you and a partner during sex. (Warning: you’ll need to remember to buy a AAA battery as it’s not included, boo.)

Considering the weather is not yet aware of the fact it’s spring (rude), we expect you’ll be spending more time than expected indoors over the next few weeks. But if the weather isn’t heating up outside, at least you can generate some in bed because, let us tell you: the combination of the chocolate and vibrator is spicy AF.

So much so that one reviewer said this “is most definitely THE egg to buy this Easter”.

But, if there’s one thing we’ve learned from the cinema we’ve seen lately (Wuthering Heights and Pillion, looking at you), it’s that things can always get spicier.

So of course, Lovehoney has also created an Easter sex toy collection, too. Packed inside an egg-shaped container, this includes a rabbit (for obvious reasons), penis stroker, vibrating cock ring, fluffy butt plug, and tickler.

Finally, a way to celebrate Easter if you’re not into chocolate!

All we’ll say is: this is the sign you’ve been looking for to plan a date night for the long weekend – get cracking.

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As A Psychologist, I See Where Parents Of Neurodivergent Toddlers Are Let Down

As a psychologist working with children and families, I often meet parents at a moment of both clarity and uncertainty.

They may have started to notice that their toddler experiences the world a little differently. Perhaps their child becomes overwhelmed in busy environments, struggles with communication or finds social interaction more difficult than other children their age.

For many families, recognising neurodivergence brings a sense of relief. But it is usually followed by a daunting question: how do we get the right support for our child?

In the UK, that journey can be particularly complex during the early years.

According to the Department for Education, around 1.6 million pupils in England are identified as having special educational needs, representing roughly 18% of the school population. Yet families with preschool children often face long waiting lists for assessments and limited access to early support.

This delay matters. Early childhood is a critical period for brain development. Evidence shows that early support programmes for neurodivergent children, particularly those on the autism spectrum, can significantly improve communication, social skills and everyday functioning.

When support arrives early, it does not change who a child is, nor should it. What it can do is help children develop strategies that make learning and taking part in daily life much more manageable.

The early years can be very difficult for families

The period after recognising that a child may be neurodivergent can be one of the most stressful times for parents.

Families are often required to navigate complex systems across health, education and social care, while also supporting their child’s day-to-day needs.

Research has shown that parents of neurodivergent children report significantly higher levels of stress during the early stages of seeking support, particularly when services are delayed or fragmented.

In practice, many parents become the main coordinator of their child’s support: they research therapies, push for assessments and adapt their home routines to help their child manage emotions and sensory challenges.

Yet this expertise is not always recognised by the professionals they encounter.

Challenging outdated advice

In my clinical work, I still hear well-intentioned but outdated advice offered to parents of neurodivergent toddlers. Comments such as “they will grow out of it” or “they simply need firmer discipline” reflect a misunderstanding of how neurodivergent children develop.

Research increasingly shows that behaviours often described as disruptive are more accurately understood as a child trying to express sensory, emotional or communication needs.

When a child struggles to join in with group activities or becomes overwhelmed in a busy environment, it is rarely deliberate defiance. It is often a sign that the environment does not yet suit the way their brain works.

A more helpful approach shifts the focus away from controlling the behaviour and towards understanding what is behind it.

What early years settings could do differently

Nurseries and early years settings are well placed to support neurodivergent children before formal schooling begins.

However, according to the Department for Education, many staff feel underprepared to recognise and respond to the different ways children develop and learn.

Inclusion means more than simply allowing neurodivergent children into mainstream settings. It means adapting those environments with calmer spaces, flexible routines, visual aids and genuine collaboration with families.

When these changes are made, the benefits extend to all children. Every young learner does better in an environment that feels predictable and safe.

One young child I worked with struggled to join in at nursery and was frequently described as disruptive. Staff were unsure how best to respond.

After introducing a simple visual timetable and a quiet space where the child could go when feeling overwhelmed, the difference in their participation was remarkable.

What changed was not the child but the environment. This reflects a broader principle: when we adjust our surroundings to meet a child’s needs, their ability to engage often grows considerably.

Dr Marguerita Magennis is a psychologist, educational consultant, counsellor and psychology tutor at FindTutors.

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If You Need Running Motivation, Here Are Eight Of Its Greatest Benefits

About six and a half million adults in the UK were regular runners from 2023-24, or just over 9% of the population.

Still, not everyone sticks to it. In one paper, 11% of people who said they wanted to run a marathon quit the sport entirely before they got close to the start line.

But you don’t need to break records to see the health benefits of running. Here, we thought we’d share some of the (many) advantages of the sport – just in case you needed a little extra motivation.

1) It may be beneficial for your joints

You might have grown up hearing that running wrecks your knees (I did). But a systematic review of 17 studies found that “In the short term, running is not associated with worsening [patient-reported outcomes] or radiological signs of knee [osteoarthritis] and may be protective against generalised knee pain.”

2) It can boost your mood

A review of over 100 studies concluded that running appeared to have “important positive implications for mental health, particularly depression and anxiety disorders”.

And another paper found that a single 10-minute run can help to boost participants’ mood and even executive function.

3) It could help you live longer

More proof that small efforts are far better than nothing in a 2015 paper, researchers noted that five to 10 minutes of running a day and/or running slower than 9.6km/hour was linked to a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

4) It’s really, really good for your heart

Running is a cardio workout, so perhaps it’s no wonder it’s so good for our hearts. It’s linked to lower cholesterol, better blood pressure, and a decreased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, like heart attacks or strokes.

5) It can strengthen your bones

Scientists found that marathon runners’ bones may be denser than those of their non-running counterparts.

6) It’s a great way to get a good night’s sleep

Exercise, especially exercise with outdoor light exposure (e.g. running in your local park) is linked to better sleep quality and improved sleep habits.

7) It can make your legs stronger

Like walking, running can help to build your leg strength. But it can plateau after a while, which is why it’s important to mix in some strength training.

8) Your endurance will improve

Running trains the heart and lungs, meaning you’ll be able to exercise harder, for longer, once you get into the habit.

What about the downsides?

While running is good for us, there are some downsides.

A 2020 paper found that injury rates were about 20% among runners, especially those with weaker hips. The risk is higher for new runners.

Strength training, including that which targets the hamstrings, knee-stabilising methods, hips, and glutes, can reduce your likelihood of getting injured.

Like HIIT, overdoing running can lead to insomnia. About a third of all runners are believed to suffer some form of overtraining syndrome.

If you notice mood changes, fatigue, poor sleep, and getting sick more often, get more rest and let your running shoes breathe for a while.

Remember that running three days a week is enough to lower your risk of early death by 40%, and that five to 10 minutes of running does a lot of good.

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Tomb Raider Series Pauses Production After Sophie Turner Sustains Injury

Production on the upcoming TV adaptation of Tomb Raider is currently on hold after its leading star Sophie Turner suffered an injury.

A spokesperson for the production company Amazon MGM Studio confirmed on Monday that the former Game Of Thrones actor had “recently experienced a minor injury” leading to production being “briefly paused to allow her time to recover” on a precautionary basis.

“We look forward to resuming production as soon as possible,” they added.

Sophie previously enthused: “I am thrilled beyond measure to be playing Lara Croft. She’s such an iconic character, who means so much to so many – and I am giving everything I’ve got.”

Tomb Raider’s heroine Lara Croft has previously been played on the big screen by Oscar winners Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander, with Hayley Atwell also lending her voice to the character in a Netflix animated series.

Of her predecessors, Sophie added last year: “They’re massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia with their powerhouse performances, but with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands. I can’t wait for you all to see what we have cooking.”

Phoebe also beamed: “It’s not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving.

“Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out… Croft is coming…”

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Looming Energy Crisis Could Echo Oil Shock Of 1970s, Ex-Bank Of England Deputy Warns

The UK could be on the cusp of an energy crisis comparable to the chaos seen in the 1970s, according to a former deputy governor of the Bank of England.

Iran continues to restrict the number of oil tankers which can travel through the major shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz, in retaliation against the US-Israel strikes from last month.

As the conflict continues, the global economy is facing a period of uncertainty – and energy bills are expected to rise, pushing up the cost of living.

The government is considering supporting some energy bills for targeted households once the current energy price cap lifts in July.

As fears grow over what lies ahead, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, Sir Howard Davies, suggested it was “probably right” to compare the current era to the crises we saw in the 1970s.

World oil prices soared at the time, triggered by the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The price of an oil barrel then quadrupled in a matter of months.

Arab oil-producing countries only ended their oil embargo against western nations after intense negotiations, though another crisis emerged in 1979 in the wake of the Iranian Revolution.

Davies compared that worldwide energy crisis to the current situation.

“In this case it could well be that supplies from the Middle East are constrained for some time and therefore we may have to live with a higher oil price – perhaps not $150, but certainly higher than $60 it was when we started,” Davies told BBC Radio 4′s Today.

“That requires a plan to increase alternatives and also to reduce consumption because it also looks like we may have a long term reduction in supply.”

Brent crude oil hit $116 per barrel on Monday morning.

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Could the UK be facing an energy crisis similar to the 1970s?

Sir Howard Davies, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, says it is the ‘right comparison’, and that it could be that ‘supplies from the Middle East are constrained for quite a long time’. pic.twitter.com/nM1Qt4zkGA

— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) March 30, 2026

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Could the UK be facing an energy crisis similar to the 1970s?

Sir Howard Davies, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, says it is the ‘right comparison’, and that it could be that ‘supplies from the Middle East are constrained for quite a long time’. pic.twitter.com/nM1Qt4zkGA

— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) March 30, 2026

Keir Starmer tried to prevent any panic buying from the public when speaking to the media on Monday.

The PM said the advice from the energy sector chiefs is “normal use, no need to do anything other than what’s normal”.

He added: “Obviously, we are bearing down on energy costs. The single most important thing we could do is de-escalate to get the Strait of Hormuz open.

“That’s why I’m putting so much effort into that aspect.”

A Downing Street spokesperson also said: “It’s obviously a serious conflict as the prime minister and the chancellor have said and they’ve been very clear that the impact of disruption to shipping and to the Strait of Hormuz is having an impact here in the UK, and households up and down the UK.”

He said the government’s focus is on working with international partners to de-escalate the situation and reopen the Strait.

Want more? Listen to the latest episode of Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, our resident politics writers and Westminster regulars – Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson – unpack the week’s biggest story in a way that even the most politically dense can understand. Join us for straightforward, up-to-date and in-depth commentary on British politics from people in the know!

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