Tackling affordability is this government’s number one priority. The Government has acted on energy bills, with our decisions at last year’s Budget driving the price cap down: those decisions are now factored into bills for the years to come.

We will continue to monitor the situation ahead of the winter and plan for all contingencies. The country must learn the right lessons from this war: rising energy bills show the British people are paying the price of our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets, and that is why we are doubling down on clean power.

I pay tribute to the work my hon. Friend is doing for her constituents on this issue. The most effective way to decouple our electricity prices from gas is to expand our renewable generation. Every wind turbine we turn on and every solar panel that we deploy helps to push gas off as the price-setter. We will continue to work in this way.

The Government recognises the need to support vulnerable households which are struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power. That is why the Autumn Budget acted to take an average £150 of costs off people’s energy bills. This support came on top of the £150 off energy bills provided for around 6 million families under the Warm Home Discount, cutting fuel poverty.

A discounted essential energy block is one form of energy bills support, the cost of which would depend on the size of the subsidised block and how many households are supported. As important as the support mechanism is the ability to target it at those who most need support. We are working across Government to improve access to and sharing of relevant data to enable us to target support more effectively in the future. Specifically, the ‘Kickstarter’ programme under the National Data Library is testing how public sector data can be used to better target support.

I thank my hon. Friend for her dedicated work on this. I am on the side of the people who elected us to clean up our rivers, our lakes and our seas. I and this Government are on the side of consumers, who are paying the price for years and years of failure by the Conservatives. We do not want Thames Water customers to have to pick up the bill for the company’s failures. We stand ready for all eventualities. The Labour Government have already blocked bonuses and introduced criminal sanctions for polluting water bosses, and we will go further by creating a new powerful regulator to hold all companies to account and clean up our waterways.

The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. Contributions will now be analysed, and the findings will support the development of the final model.

As mentioned in my previous response, the earnings thresholds have been selected as they equate to the current thresholds for payment of Income Tax in England at the higher and additional rate respectively. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.

We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development and deliverability of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.

The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.

As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact to visa holders already in the UK, including skilled workers. We also consulted on salary thresholds, which were selected as they equate to the current thresholds for payment of Income Tax, and any alternative measures or potential exemptions.

We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development and deliverability of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.

The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.

As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact to visa holders already in the UK, including skilled workers. We also consulted on salary thresholds, which were selected as they equate to the current thresholds for payment of Income Tax, and any alternative measures or potential exemptions.

We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development and deliverability of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.

The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.

As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact to visa holders already in the UK, including skilled workers. We also consulted on salary thresholds, which were selected as they equate to the current thresholds for payment of Income Tax, and any alternative measures or potential exemptions.

We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development and deliverability of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.

The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.

As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact to visa holders already in the UK, including skilled workers. We also consulted on salary thresholds, which were selected as they equate to the current thresholds for payment of Income Tax, and any alternative measures or potential exemptions.

We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development and deliverability of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.

The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026.

As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact to visa holders already in the UK, including skilled workers. We also consulted on salary thresholds, which were selected as they equate to the current thresholds for payment of Income Tax, and any alternative measures or potential exemptions.

We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development and deliverability of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.

As my hon. Friend knows from sitting on the Treasury Committee, this Government have already taken action to reduce the cost of living and to bear down on inflation with the changes around energy prices, fuel duty, prescription charges and rail fares. I will do everything in my power and use every lever we have to bear down on the cost of living, including for people in the private rented sector. That is why we have already introduced the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. People who have mortgages have seen cuts in their mortgage rates since we came into office, and we will also do everything we can to help people in the private rented sector too, because we must ensure that this conflict in the middle east does not result in our constituents being poorer.

I believe that removing the three-day limit and giving access to statutory sick pay from day one, as well as making it available to those who work for multiple employers, should decrease the pressure on workers to have to work through illness.

My hon. Friend will be aware that the “Keep Britain Working” review led by Charlie Mayfield also aims to work with employers to help keep people in jobs while they cope with some of the long-term sickness issues that can develop as workers get older.

I believe my hon. Friend will welcome the changes the Government have made to statutory sick pay, which came into force earlier this month. For the first time ever, we have removed the lower earnings limit for statutory sick pay, as well as the waiting period so that people can access sick pay as soon as they need it. These changes will mean that up to 1.3 million more people will be covered, helping the low paid and those who work for more than one employer in particular.

Being able to communicate effectively in English is essential for accessing public services, participating in civic life, securing employment, and building strong connections within local communities.

The Government is continuing to consider whether the B2 standard should be extended more widely and future decisions will take into account responses to the consultation on earned settlement.

In the meantime, the current B1 English language requirement for settlement under the BN(O) route continues to apply.