Martin Lewis warns only government action can prevent people 'starving or freezing'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Martin Lewis has warned that only government action can prevent millions 'starving or freezing' amid soaring energy bills.

The Money Saving Expert founder called on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to use this month's spring statement to alleviate the cost of living crisis.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, he warned that while Russia's invasion of Ukraine had 'exacerbated' the situation, it was not the sole cause..

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He added: "I'm slightly worried that we are seeing what may be potentially a deliberate narrative shift that effectively says the entire cost of living crisis is due to Ukraine, and therefore we all need to make sacrifices.

"That is not correct. What has happened in Ukraine has exacerbated the situation but the rises in energy, heating oil, water, council tax, broadband and mobiles, food, national insurance were all in place before Ukraine.

"When we have a budget or a spring statement coming in a couple of weeks, we need to be careful not to allow that narrative to happen and be used as an excuse that we all need to make sacrifices because of Ukraine, and that's why we have to suck in the cost of living crisis.

"That is not the correct analysis. It is a worsening of the situation, it is not the cause of the situation."

Mr Lewis warned that a typical UK household faced an 'unaffordable' £2,000 rise in energy bills this year, adding that he 'no longer had the tools' to help people save money.

He said the situation could only be resolved through action taken by the chancellor.

He added: "We are going to see a real increase in genuine poverty in this country, millions of people being