Pressure builds on Rishi Sunak to act now on living costs

The chancellor must act now and not wait for the Autumn Budget to help people with the soaring cost of living, say business groups and unions.

The Confederation of British Industry said: "There are some choices about what you do now and what you do later. You have to help the hardest hit now."

Rishi Sunak has said the government will act where it can but said it will not be easy to cut costs for families.

UK inflation is at a 40-year high of 9% as energy, food and fuel prices soar.

Mr Sunak told the annual CBI dinner on Wednesday evening that the government was "ready to do more" to aid households.

It is understood that he is considering ways to help people with their energy bills in July or August as well as announcing tax cuts in the Autumn Budget to support businesses.

But Tony Danker, director-general of the CBI, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was important to act now.

"Helping people with heating bills and eating bills will not fuel inflation and you need to stimulate business investment now. That's not going to overheat the economy, it is going to make sure that any downturns in our fortunes will be short and shallow because growth is coming soon."

The inflation rate in April reached its highest level since 1982, while recent data showed the UK economy shrank in March, raising concerns the country is heading for a recession.

"What I think we saw during the coronavirus crisis was when the economy is in trouble or when we're facing an emergency we do need to protect people and that is the best way to protect the economy.

"I think that is what we need to see now and when people hear the government saying 'the computer says no', I think they are pretty clear that is an excuse, we can act if we want to," said Ms Bell.