South Oxfordshire District Council declares cost of living emergency

South Oxfordshire District Council joined Eastleigh, Mendip and Eastbourne Councils in declaring a cost of living emergency

Another council has declared a cost of living emergency and called on the government to take urgent action.

South Oxfordshire District Council followed councils in Hampshire, Somerset and East Sussex in voting through a motion on rising prices.

The authority has called for benefits to be increased in line with inflation and additional funding for councils.

The government has already announced a package of payments designed to help with rising prices.

Electricity, gas, petrol and food prices have all risen rapidly, pushing inflation to 9.4%.

Among other measures, the council, currently run by a coalition of Liberal Democrats and Greens, wants to see restoration of the £20 uplift for Universal Credit claimants.

"Greater pressure"

Council leader David Rouane said financial pressures could only be eased by "firm, decisive and bold action".

"Without urgent action from the Government, our services will be put under even greater pressure at a time when our budget is still impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and further hit by rising inflation," he said.

The council is sending letters to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The authority is one of several across the country to have declared a cost of living emergency in recent weeks, along with Eastleigh Borough Council in Hampshire, Mendip District Council in Somerset and Eastbourne Borough Council in East Sussex.

This month, the government started making direct payments into eight million people's accounts to help with the soaring cost of living, particularly energy costs.

The first £326 payment will be paid by the end of July, with a second instalment of £324 to be transferred in the autumn.