CALLS are being made for Ceredigion MP Ben Lake to use next week’s House of Commons Spring Statement to press for a national rise in benefits.

Ceredigion Citizens Advice is also asking for an urgent meeting with both Mr Lake and Ceredigion MS Elin Jones to discuss the issue.

New data shows that 86 per cent of people in Ceredigion have said that the October energy loan scheme will make no difference to how they pay their bills.

More than one in nine residents said they couldn’t pay their energy bills right now without cutting back on essential spending.

And Ceredigion Citizens Advice is braced for a rise in calls for help as the data, using MRP polling, predicts that the number of local people unable to pay their bills after April will rise by a staggering 89 per cent.

In a letter to Mr Lake, Ceredigion Citizens Advice chief executive Juliet Morris says: “The conflict in Ukraine is driving a further surge in energy prices. Bills are estimated to increase by a further £900 in October, meaning more families will be dragged into hardship without further government support.

“In April, the Chancellor should provide additional support for people on the lowest incomes by bringing the annual benefit uprating in line with current inflation. Then in October, as the prices rise again, more financial support will be needed.”

During last month alone, Ceredigion Citizens Advice supported a total of 562 people.

Mr Lake did raise the issue at the House of Commons this week and urged the UK Government to introduce new measures that would help families and businesses.

Mr Lake urged the Chancellor to reform the rural fuel duty relief to extend it to more rural areas in Wales and improve its eligibility criteria to account for local transport provision. He also called for an essential user category to be developed to reduce petrol prices for key services, such as logistics, and essential professions with high mileage, such as carers.

During his speech, Ben Lake MP noted that: “Wales has the highest car dependency in the UK with nearly 80 per cent of commutes done by private car. Extending the rural fuel duty relief scheme would bring immediate relief at the pump for rural areas and would target areas with below UK average investment in public transport infrastructure, which would hopefully incentivise the longer-term solution that is represented by better public transport links.”

Mr Lake also called for an essential user category to be developed to reduce petrol prices for key services, such as logistics, and essential professions with high mileage, such as carers.

Mr Lake stated: “I have been told by constituents who are carers and who typically travel upwards of 50 miles a day that they are recompensed by only 30p a mile. At current fuel prices, that is simply unsustainable.”

During his speech Ben Lake also called on the UK Government to increase the employment allowance from £4,000 to £5,000 a year, as advocated by the Federation of Small Businesses.

Mr Lake added: “An expanded relief to allow eligible employers to reduce their national insurance liabilities would achieve several key objectives. First, it would make widespread and welcome pay rises more financially sustainable for businesses. Secondly, it would reduce the risk of higher costs being passed on as higher prices to consumers. Thirdly, it would help to protect businesses’ ability to invest, which would boost our economy’s productivity and economic growth at such a crucial time.”

“I urge the Chancellor to make use of the slightly improved picture of public finances and take the opportunity next week to introduce measures to help families and businesses and to avoid the energy crisis turning into a shock that stalls the economy.”