One-off budget measures will 'insulate' families from price rises

ESRI says welfare rises in 2022 and 2023, with one-off measures, are enough to leave low-income households better off than they would have been had welfare rates risen in line with inflation this year and next.

One-off measures announced as part of Budget 2023 will insulate most households from rising prices this winter, according to research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

The ESRI has said that welfare increases in 2022 and 2023, together with one-off measures, are large enough to leave the lowest-income households better off on average than they would have been had welfare payment rates risen in line with inflation both this year and next.