It is, in my view, absolutely vital that as efforts are made to turn our economy around, hard working families and our pensioners are given the support they need during these tough economic times.

Since being elected to represent Nuneaton in Parliament, I have been pleased to support Government measures that have made a real difference to families and older people in my constituency. I know from speaking to many people each week that these measures are having a real impact on people's lives. More information about these measures and the support they have ensured can be found below.

What the Government is doing to help

These are just some of the ways in which the Government is helping families with the cost of living:

• Cut income tax for 24 million people (over 26,000 in Nuneaton) while taking 2.2 million out of tax (over 3,000 in Nuneaton) altogether. Most basic rate taxpayers will be £593 better off this year as a result.
• Cutting corporation tax to attract new businesses to create jobs in the UK.
• Cancelling Labour's planned fuel duty increase so petrol is 13p per litre cheaper than if Labour had been in office. This will save the average motorist £170 per year.
• Cutting beer duty.
• Introducing a new scheme of tax-free childcare for working families. Increasing free entitlement to early education to 15 hours a week for all 3-4 year olds.
• Supported councils to freeze Council Tax for the third year running, including Warwickshire County Council, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and North Warwickshire Borough Council.
• Getting control of the public finances to keep interest rates low which keeps mortgage rates low.
• Introduced a new system to increase the State Pension so that it will always increase in line with wages, inflation or at least 2.5% meaning that the average pensioner retiring now will be £15,000 better off during their retirement.