Families welcome new VAT-cut scheme to help with holiday costs

Bruce Leeke, chief executive of Ormiston Families, external, an Ipswich-based charity, says the VAT scheme is helpful, but will not solve the problems faced by families.

“The cost-of-living crisis hasn’t gone away,” he says.

“It has lots of different impacts on people’s mental health, [and] obviously if you are anxious about your finances, that anxiety gets passed on to family members.

“When the summer comes, there is much more care needed for children.”

He wants to see more investment by the government on long-term help for families.

“Our recommendation would be to invest in early intervention,” he says.

The Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, David Burton-Sampson, says the government is already providing 30 hours of free childcare a week for children before they go to school, but concedes that the issue may need to be looked at again.

“But it is very difficult,” he says.

“There is a finite amount of finance and we’re trying to target that finance on the ways that will make the biggest difference to people’s lives.”

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