West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has praised Government support packages worth billions of pounds which have helped local families impacted by the global pandemic.

The MP highlighted a range of schemes to help local people’s jobs and livelihoods as well as specific measures to help lower paid households through the current crisis.

The Treasury has rolled out furlough schemes to help protect people’s jobs and provide up to 80 per cent of salaries to help keep incomes coming in when businesses are required to shut.

Last year, the Department for Work and Pensions received an extra £9 billion to provide additional support including a £63 million Winter Grant Fund and £220 million to extend the Holiday and Food Programme helping the most vulnerable families.

Harriett said: “Over the last year, we have seen the Government develop and implement a range of support packages to help people and businesses survive through the pandemic and there has been an emphasis on helping those on the lowest incomes.

“This has seen extra measures put in place to provide a safety net for all sorts of people. Thousands of workers and hundreds of businesses across West Worcestershire have accessed over £100 million of national support of all types.

“I am proud that we have been able to move swiftly to offer help and today’s debate should be about highlighting that help for families.

“Having spoken at great length with our local Job Centre team, I have been keen to offer support to families who need extra support. The welfare system is an important safety net helping people to get through this most turbulent of times.

“But this is a time of national emergency and I think my constituents want all parties to work together with the common aim of getting through this coronavirus crisis and getting our lives and our economy back to normal as quickly as possible.”