Among the big money changes announced in today's Queens speech were more rights for renters and cuts to soaring inflation rates.
However, there will be no fresh help for people struggling with high bills, as energy costs could hit as much as £3,000 for some households. Other big changes include more rights for social housing tenants and plans to fast-track benefits for the terminally ill.
More than two million adults in the UK have gone without food for a whole day over the past month because they cannot afford to eat, with 2.6 million children also affected, MirrorOnline reports.
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Chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group Alison Garnham said: "Government offered no short term comfort for parents struggling to feed their kids in the face of rocketing prices, and no long term vision for ending child poverty. Ministers must respond now to the scale of the current living costs crisis by committing to an increase in benefits in line with inflation from October."
The money announcements were made today as part of the Queen's Speech, the official opening of Parliament. The speech lists Boris Johnson's plans for the next year, namely the laws the government will try to pass.
The contents of the speech are written by ministers but it is read out by the monarch as part of the lavish State Opening of Parliament. Prince Charles stepped in to cover for the Queen, who cannot attend due to mobility issues.
Here are some of the big money changes coming this year.
Increased rights for renters
The government's Renters Reform Bill will ban so-called 'no-fault' evictions. This practice sees people in rented accommodation kicked out by their landlords through no fault of their own.
Government figures say more than a fifth of renters did not end their last tenancy by their own choice. The bill has been in the pipeline for several months, however it looks set to be finally pushed through this year.
Increased powers for social tenants
A planned Social Housing Regulation Bill will give more powers to a regulator to “intervene with landlords who are performing poorly on consumer issues, such as complaints handling and decency of homes”.
It could also “inspect landlords to make sure they are providing tenants with the quality of accommodation and services that they deserve”.
Prince Charles said: "My government will introduce legislation to improve the regulation of social housing to strengthen the rights of tenants and ensure better quality, safer homes."
Quicker benefits for the terminally ill
People diagnosed with terminal illnesses will get their benefits payments faster under the Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill. This lays the legal groundwork for a long-awaited reform that means the terminally ill get their benefits faster, from six months before possible death to 12 months.
Help cutting inflation
Inflation is currently at 7%, and the Bank of England said last week it expects inflation to hit 10% this year.
This is bad news for hard-up households, as it means they will be paying more for goods and services.
Prince Charles today said the government would "work with the Bank of England to return inflation to its target".
However he gave no details.
The Bank of England has a 2% inflation target per year. Here's what the latest rate rise means for you.
Allowing self-driving cars
Robot cars will be given the green light with the Transport Bill confirmed today.
This will bring in new laws allowing self-driving cars and rolling out more electric car charge points.
Energy security - but no new help with bills
An Energy Security Bill will allow the energy price cap to continue past 2023, and try to bring down the costs of heat pumps.
It’ll also enable the “first ever large-scale hydrogen heating trial” ahead of a 2026 decision on whether to roll it out more widely.
But there’s no immediate help for the cost-of-living with briefing notes instead listing what the government has done already.
The notes add: “We will be ready to take further steps, if needed, to support households.”
Loans for higher education
A Higher Education Bill will bring in a Lifelong Loan Entitlement to fund training for adults.
Adults can get a loan equivalent to four years of post-18 education (£37,000 in today’s fees) that they can use over their lifetime for a wider range of studies, including shorter and technical courses.
But it comes after interest rates were jacked up - and repayment thresholds lowered - on student loans, leaving graduates paying more.
What was not in the Queen's Speech?
Employment Bill
The flagship legislation was due to boost workers rights, clamp down on insecure employment and ensure bosses hand over all tips to staff.
Planning reforms
A major overhaul of planning rules was mooted last year but the idea was shelved after a backlash from Tory MPs.
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