Sunak considers limited extra measures to tackle cost of living crisis

Chancellor to reject calls to beef up energy bill package as pressure mounts to bail out consumers

Rishi Sunak will take some limited action to tackle the cost of living crisis in this month's spring statement but will reject calls to beef up his much-criticised energy bill reduction scheme, government sources say.

Amid mounting pressure from inside his own party, and with some City analysts predicting inflation could hit 10% within months, the chancellor has asked Treasury officials to draw up options for cushioning the blow for consumers.