Labour is Delivering Practical Help with the Cost of Living
From cutting energy bills and making public transport more affordable to backing local businesses and protecting consumers, Labour is focused on delivering practical help for people in Stockport and across the country.
Too many families are still feeling the pressure of higher household costs, while local businesses continue to face significant challenges. That is why I welcome the action taken by Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey to provide immediate support now, while laying the foundations for long-term economic renewal.
Labour has already announced a series of measures designed to put money back into people's pockets:
VAT on domestic electricity bills has been scrapped from October 2026, benefiting around 30 million households and helping families with the cost of keeping their homes warm.
Families will be helped through tighter rules on school uniforms, closing loopholes that have allowed high costs for branded items.
Labour is also ending subscription traps that leave consumers paying for services they no longer want or use, introducing clearer information, easier cancellation processes and stronger rights for customers.
New measures to crack down on rogue traders will help protect homeowners from being ripped off and losing hard-earned money on poor-quality work.
Labour is backing local businesses too. Pubs, social clubs and live music venues will receive a further 20% reduction in business rates from next April, helping valued community assets remain viable.
New procurement rules will ensure more public contracts support British jobs, apprenticeships and local economic growth, while an overhaul of corporate reporting requirements will cut red tape and save businesses an estimated £450 million a year.
Bus fares will be capped at £2 from January 2027 across England. Luckily, thanks to the work Andy Burnham did as Labour Metro Mayor, we already had this in place in Greater Manchester. But it is another much-welcome step that our new Labour Metro Mayor, Bev Craig, is making all bus travel free for 11–16-year-olds from January 2027 across our city region. Disabled people will also benefit from free 24/7 bus travel from April next year, removing restrictions that have too often limited independence and opportunity.
These are practical measures that make a real difference to people's everyday lives. They reflect Labour's priorities in Government: helping working people with the cost of living, supporting local businesses to grow and creating economic security for the future.
There is much more to do, but this is a Labour Government, working together with our Labour Metro Mayor in Greater Manchester, focused on delivering tangible benefits for communities like Stockport.
After years in which too many people felt squeezed and overlooked, Labour is giving families and businesses the breathing space they need while rebuilding Britain's economy for the long term. I look forward to continuing to work closely with both the Government and Mayor Bev Craig to deliver proper support for people here in Stockport.