Thank you to all those who have contacted me about the cost of living and your concerns about homelessness.

With food prices and rents increasing, heating bills going up and taxes rising, I know this is a very difficult time for many. I am calling on ministers to offer real help to people who need it, such as those in the private rented sector. That is why I support freezing people’s energy bills until at least April 2022. This step would save the average household £1,000, get future energy costs under control and help tackle inflation.

I note that Liz Truss, during her tenure as Prime Minister accepted the principle of a price limit. However, under her energy plan prices will still rise. The plan put forward by the Opposition that I support, on the other hand, would ensure that there would not be a penny more on bills. There is also a crucial question about who ultimately pays for these measures. The Treasury estimates that energy producers could make £170 billion in unexpected windfall profits over the next two years. That is why I have supported a windfall tax since January.

The Government has said that it has no plans to raise Local Housing Allowance (LHA), nor does it intend to remove the benefit cap. I recognise this will disappoint you, and I hope Ministers will consider the points that you make in advance of the Chancellor’s forthcoming Statement to the House of Commons on 31 October.

More widely, I believe insecurity of renting is one of the main problems with the current housing market where tenants are afraid to report problems and are forced to move at short notice. I have long supported calls for more rights and better protections for renters. This includes the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. This would stop landlords from terminating tenancies without establishing a fault on the part of tenants.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this very important issue.