STORY
Rachel Reeves has announced a summer cost of living package including free bus travel for children and targeted food tariff cuts. The Treasury said children aged five to 15 will be able to travel free on participating local bus services in England throughout August, as part of the Government’s Great British Summer Savings Scheme.
The Government also said it would launch a business engagement exercise on further targeted cuts to agri-food tariffs, including a planned suspension of tariffs on more than 100 types of products such as biscuits, chocolate, dried fruit and nuts. Ministers said the measures were intended to reduce pressure on household budgets during a period of higher prices linked to the conflict in Iran.
Reeves said her priority was protecting households from rising costs and said the package would help families enjoy the summer. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said free bus travel would help children and families during the school holidays, while transport and passenger groups welcomed the measure as a way of supporting affordable public transport.