Following the Chancellor's Spring Statement this afternoon Dan Norris, Metro Mayor for the West of England, said

"West of England residents are facing the biggest hit to household incomes on record."

"Today's Spring Statement was a chance for the Chancellor to take real action but he fluffed it. After today's changes local people will be left to fend for themselves facing the highest tax burden in 70 years."

"The Chancellor wants to shift the blame for the cost of living crisis to the war in Ukraine but everyone knows that bills were rising rapidly before that. This is a cost of living crisis made in Downing Street."

"I'm deeply disappointed there was nothing in this mini budget on helping people with the sky high cost of domestic heating oil which is something I have been asking for. I am pleased however the Government listened to my calls on removing VAT on climate friendly materials which is a demand of the West of England Combined Authority climate action plan."

The Chancellor has announced a 5p cut to fuel duty which will come into force at 18:00 pm tonight (March 23) and last until March next year.

It is only the second time fuel duty has been cut in twenty years.

UK fuel prices have increased at the fastest rate on record in recent weeks, with petrol rising 13p since the start of the month and diesel increasing by nearly 21p.

The cut in duty per litre will, according to the RAC, take £3.30 off the cost of filling a typical 55-litre family car.

But in terms of other cuts, the Chancellor has resisted calls to stop the planned rise in National Insurance which comes into effect in April.

However Rishi Sunak did increase the threshold at which people pay tax. From July this year individuals will be able to earn £12,570 a year without paying income tax or National Insurance.