Boris Johnson says more cost-of-living help coming in months, not days | UK News

Boris Johnson on Thursday downgraded his suggestion that new cost-of-living help is coming within days, saying instead action that could be expected in “months”.

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The Prime Minister has ordered ministers to speed up their search for measures that do not cost the Treasury to help households with soaring prices.

Some Tory MPs are privately predicting that Mr Johnson will have to announce new support before the summer, with many pushing for tax cuts.

Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of an emergency Budget – a stance backed by Downing Street and the Treasury – but speculation remains in Whitehall that a tax cut of some sort could be announced before the autumn Budget.

Last year, Mr Johnson and Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, revealed that they were raising National Insurance in September, ahead of the Budget in October.

There had been plans to announce the move before the summer parliamentary recess, but they were quashed when Mr Johnson had to self-isolate because of Covid rules.

On Wednesday, Mr Johnson said: “We will have the maximum energy effort, ingenuity, to help the British people through them and everybody knows how tough it can be right now.

“And you know all the money we’re already spending, there will be more of course, there will be more support in the months ahead as things continue to be tough with the increase in the energy prices.”

His use of “months” was noteworthy given that, on Tuesday, he had indicated in the Commons that new announcements were imminent, telling MPs: “The Chancellor and I will be saying more about this in the days to come.”

In a separate development, Mr Johnson announced that Matt Warman, the Tory MP and former Telegraph technology editor, will head a new review into the future of work.

Mr Warman will look at how robot technology and artificial intelligence could be used in workplaces to enhance productivity and efficiency.

He is also expected to look at how changing technology is impacting workers’ rights, the locations where work takes place and the skills needed for jobs.

Mr Warman told The Telegraph: “The nature of work is changing at a rapid pace, and Britain is uniquely positioned to seize new opportunities. I’m delighted to be asked by the Prime Minister to examine how best we can do so in the post-Covid era.

“Businesses big and small have evolved how they work hugely in the last two years, and employees today need different skills and protections to thrive. Getting that balance right will provide tangible economic and social benefits to both companies and working people.”

Mr Johnson said: “It’s fantastic that Matt Warman has agreed to take on this important piece of work. Tackling the economic challenges of today means helping more people into high-wage, high-skilled jobs, and this review will look at how we can equip people with the skills they need to thrive in the workplace no matter where they’re from.”