A government minister has suggested that people struggling with the cost of living could take on more hours or move to a better-paid job.
Rachel Maclean, the safeguarding minister, told Sky News’ Kay Burley that those were some of the ways households could “protect themselves” as prices soar.
Downing Street defended her after opposition parties sharply criticised the comments.
Ms Maclean said that every minister was looking at the issue as consumers face “short term pressures” such as high energy and food bills – and added that there was “more help coming”.
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AdvertisementBut she added: “Over the long term we need to have a plan to grow the economy and make sure that people are able to protect themselves better – whether that is by taking on more hours or moving to a better paid job and these are long term actions but that’s what we’re focused on as a government.”
Pressed over evidence that some people were working three jobs but still having to visit food banks, she added: “We have often heard in the past when people are facing problems with their budgets that one of the obstacles – and it may not be for everybody – is about being able to take on more hours or even move to a better-paid job.
More on Cost Of Living Related Topics: Cost of living“Of course, it’s an individual situation, depending on that particular family’s situation but that’s why the job centres exist, that’s why the work coaches exist, that’s why we’ve put the support into those job centres – to work with individuals on their own individual situation.
“So it may be right for some people – they may be able to access additional hours.
“But of course it’s not going to work for people who are already working in three jobs.”
Help being given to schools and through local authorities would target assistance “where it’s most needed”, she said.
0:50 Minister: Buy ‘value’ productsMs Maclean added: “We’ve already taken action to help people with energy bills and there’s more help coming.”
Those comments echoed a hint made by Boris Johnson last week about more cost of living support – though this was swiftly followed by the Treasury making clear that there would be no emergency budget.
That followed an announcement in February by the chancellor that most households would be given a £150 council tax discount while consumers would also be given £200 to help with energy bills this autumn, to be repaid over five years.
Labour’s Peter Kyle, shadow Northern Ireland secretary, criticised Ms Maclean’s cost of living comments, describing how he recently met people at a food bank who were in work but having an “extremely difficult” time including a single mother with two jobs.
He told Sky News: “The idea that she could work longer and therefore not spend more time with her family – I think it’s just disconnected from the realities of people’s lives.”
Mr Kyle also referred to recent comments by environment secretary George Eustice, who suggested people struggling with higher shop prices should buy value brands.
The Labour MP said: “What we need ministers to be doing is solving the economic problems that families have because of the economic problems our country faces.
“Their jobs as politicians aren’t just to tell people to work harder, work longer and go for a promotion.
“It’s actually to accept the reality that because of the decisions they are making in Westminster, people are no longer able to eat a decent diet.”
3:49 Labour: Work comments ‘disconnected’Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain said: “So the Conservatives’ answer to the cost-of-living emergency is that people should just earn more? This shows just how out of touch they truly are.
“Millions of families have had to make huge cutbacks and taken on extra work in order to weather the cost of living crisis. They simply cannot do any more.”
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “I think the minister was was clear in what she said that people’s individual circumstances will vary. That’s why we have a range of measures available to people.
“It’s entirely right that as a government we want to find ways to help more people get into work and just get into secure higher paying salaries as well”
Ms McLean later claimed in a tweet that her comments about “a longer term plan and options for some people” had been misrepresented.