Prime Minister Boris Johnson has admitted to ITV that his government could do more to help struggling families weather the cost-of-living crisis and the support currently in place won't be enough to help everyone.
He told Good Morning Britain that support of around £350 to help people deal with soaring prices "isn't going to be enough immediately to cover everybody's costs".
Asked by presenter Susanna Reid whether the government is doing enough to help people get through this tough period, Mr Johnson said: "There is more that we can do.
"But the crucial thing is to make sure we deal with the prices over the medium and long term."
More than £800 has been added to the cost of living for the average household since this time last year, due to tax rises and rocketing energy prices - made worse by sky-high inflation rates - and across the UK there are desperate stories of people struggling to get by.
PM responds to case of struggling pensioner Elsie
The PM was told of 77-year-old pensioner Elsie, who to manage her finances now eats only one meal a day and uses her free bus pass to ride the bus all day, rather than use energy by being at home - but his response raised eyebrows.
“Just to remind you that the 24 hour freedom bus pass was something that I introduced," he said, in a comment that immediately sparked anger on social media.
“Marvellous, so Elsie should be grateful to you for her bus pass!” Susanna said, while furious commentators on Twitter said the remark was "disgusting" and a demonstration of how "out of touch" the PM is with the realities of struggling people.
Another said his response was "mind-blowing" while countless tweets said the comment demonstrated Mr Johnson's lack of empathy for regular people.
Labour said his response shows "just how out of touch this narcissistic prime minister is".
Shadow work and pensions secretary Jon Ashworth said it is "utterly shameful" that people like Elsie are being forced to cut costs in that way, adding: "This will be a year of hell for Britain’s retirees."
Why is the PM not doing more to help those who are struggling? Will there be a windfall tax?
Asked why benefits are not going up in line with inflation and the PM said: “It could get worse. That knocks onto interest rates and that knocks onto the cost of borrowing for everybody.
“And I’m sorry to say this, but we have to be prudent in our approach. We have to help people like Elsie and the families you mentioned, in the short term with huge sums of taxpayers' cash, through the local councils or through the schemes we’re doing."
'You say you're doing everything you can. You're not.'@susannareid100 asks Boris Johnson if he is in touch with what people are experiencing amid the cost of living crisis.
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 3, 2022
Susanna asks the PM why he can't impose a windfall tax on fuel companies. pic.twitter.com/AUeZIvMJld
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