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From Burnham's 'everyday fixes' to VAT relief and supermarket tariff cuts, find out what support is available and how much you could save
With a background in financial journalism across national titles, Ruby loves helping people take control of their money and specialises in pensions, tax, banking and benefits.
Household finances continue to face pressure as prices rise and bills increase.
There are a range of support schemes in place to help with rising living costs, and further measures are expected to be announced as part of the Autumn Budget on 28 October.
This week, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has promised a series of further 'everyday fixes' to help people with the cost of living, including bringing forward plans to make it easier to cancel unwanted subscriptions and a crackdown on rip-off discounts — areas Which? has consistently raised the alarm on.
Here, we explain what support is available and how it could help you this year.
- Find out more: see all our cost of living news and advice.
Ban on subscription traps brought forward
The government has confirmed that it's bringing forward plans to make cancelling subscriptions easier.
Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the measures in April, and they were expected to come into force next spring. However, Burnham aims to implement them by January 2027.
The government plans to force businesses to provide clearer upfront information, send regular reminders, and offer a simple way out of contracts.
These measures are designed to prevent consumers from being quietly rolled over onto expensive ongoing plans after free or discounted trial periods come to an end.
There will also be a 14-day cooling-off period after a renewal, giving people another opportunity to cancel.
The government estimates there are around 155m active subscriptions in the UK, with people spending around £1.6bn a year on subscriptions they don't actually want.
Ban on 'rip-off discounts'
Alongside the subscription traps ban, the government is also moving to crack down on deceptive pricing practices.
Under the plans, retailers will be banned from using dubious 'was' prices, artificial discounts, and misleading recommended retail prices (RRPs) to make deals look better than they actually are.
For example, a product might be advertised as 'was £100, now £50', suggesting you’ve saved £50, when the £100 price was only charged briefly, or the product was routinely available for much less.
Which? has repeatedly exposed these misleading pricing tactics across major high street retailers, online shopping platforms, hotels and popular household brands.
The government will launch a consultation this autumn to assess whether tactics such as fake 'was' prices, invented discounts and misleading recommended retail prices (RRPs) should be added to the list of practices banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA).
Sue Davies MBE, head of consumer rights policy at Which?, said: 'Which? has repeatedly exposed businesses, including trusted household brands, ripping off customers with dodgy deals that aren’t what they seem – but regulators have often found it too difficult to take action.
'It’s great news that the government intends to tighten up the law and explicitly ban misleading pricing practices, while putting an end to subscription traps.
'The government must implement these rules swiftly to give consumers much-needed protection against sneaky pricing tactics and hold businesses to account with tough enforcement, including fines, if they fall short.'
Price cuts for supermarket essentials
The government cut import tariffs on more than 100 grocery products, as part of a package of cost of living measures announced by the Starmer government earlier this year.
Tariffs are taxes paid on imported goods, and removing or reducing these charges should lower costs for businesses importing products into the UK. This could then help reduce prices for shoppers if those savings are passed on.
Products affected include a range of grocery items such as dried fruits, nuts, biscuits and chocolate. This round of tariff reductions followed an earlier announcement to suspend tariffs on products including some fruits, fruit juices, pasta, couscous and tuna.
- Find out more: How to spend less at the supermarket.
Fuel duty freeze extended
The conflict in the Middle East has driven up the average petrol price across the UK. To help drivers, the government extended the 5p fuel duty cut for petrol and diesel until the end of the year.
The reduced tax rate for petrol and diesel was introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2022. It was supposed to last 12 months, but has been repeatedly extended. Before this, it was frozen for 11 years.
Starmer's Labour government had previously confirmed that the cut would be phased out from September 2026. Burnham's government has not confirmed any plans to deviate from this approach.
Additionally, to protect supply chains and curb rising consumer prices, red diesel duty is being cut by over a third until the end of the year, to support farmers. From 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027, there is a vehicle excise duty holiday for HGVs, to save hauliers roughly £600 per lorry.
- Find out more: How to save fuel and other money-saving driving tips.
VAT cut to summer activities
From 25 June to 1 September 2026, VAT has been reduced from 20% to 5% across the UK, to help families save on summer entertainment. This discount applies to children's restaurant meals and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, shows and concerts.
It also covers admission to attractions like theme parks, zoos, museums and soft play areas. The Treasury has confirmed that adults visiting these attractions without children will still benefit from the lower prices.
If businesses pass on the savings in full, the Treasury estimates that a family of four could save £9 on circus tickets, £17 at a wildlife park and £20 at a theme park.
- Find out more: cheap and free things to do with kids during school holidays.
Free bus travel
Children aged five to 15 in England can travel for free on participating local bus services between 1 and 31 August 2026.
The government says that children will be able to make unlimited journeys on eligible services during the scheme.
Not all routes will take part, so it's worth checking with your local council or bus operator before travelling.
In London, separate schemes already allow children and young people to travel free on many Transport for London services, including buses, trams and the Tube, subject to eligibility rules.
- Find out more: Best UK days out for free.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund
The government operates a support scheme, known as the Crisis and Resilience Fund, for people facing severe financial hardship.
Launched in April 2026, this initiative is set to run until April 2029 and serves as a successor to the previous Household Support Fund (HSF).
Separate schemes operate in devolved nations. In Scotland, support is available through the Scottish Welfare Fund, while people in Wales can apply to the Discretionary Assistance Fund.
What support can I get?
The Crisis and Resilience Fund is designed to provide critical financial assistance when you face an emergency or severe financial hardship.
It primarily offers two types of help, which are:
- Immediate crisis support: Crisis payments are intended for urgent needs, such as emergency food, essential fuel costs, or replacing vital household items that you cannot afford due to a disaster or sudden income loss.
- Long-term resilience assistance: This focuses on helping you stabilise your situation, offering guidance or small grants to prevent future financial crises and build long-term stability.
While multiple applications are allowed, most councils limit you to one approved crisis payment within a six to 12-month window.
If you claim benefits, any crisis payments won't affect your regular payments. Any support you receive has no impact on your regular benefits.
Who can get help?
To qualify for the support, you must generally be aged 16 or over, have a low income, and face an immediate financial emergency.
You do not have to be receiving government benefits to be eligible. However, you are much more likely to qualify if your household already receives benefits, including:
- Universal credit
- Jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
- Pension credit
- Housing benefit
- Council tax support.
Because the scheme is managed at a local level, the exact eligibility criteria vary between councils. You can find your local council through a tool on Gov.uk.
How do you get help?
You can apply to the Crisis and Resilience Fund directly through your local council’s website. Usually, there will be a separate tab explaining the support offered and how to apply.
Depending on how your specific council manages the fund, you may be able to submit your application through an online portal, over the phone, face-to-face at a local office, or by downloading and posting a completed physical form.
Applications are open and accepted year-round; however, you often can’t apply for the fund more than once within 12 months.
Urgent crisis payment requests are usually processed within 48 hours. If your application is refused, you have the right to contact your local authority and ask it to review the decision. The council will then re-examine your case and provide you with a new decision, along with a full explanation, either in writing or by email.
- Find out more: Help if you're struggling to pay your energy bills.
Which? launches cost of living manifesto
Which? has launched a cost of living manifesto calling for action to lower energy bills, improve access to affordable healthy food and keep fuel costs down.
The manifesto follows research showing that around three million households had skipped meals to reduce food costs, while millions more have cut back on spending to cover essential bills.
- Find out more: Which? cost of living manifesto.
