MP welcomes employment and cost-of-living changes

Jon Pearce MP has welcomed a range of new government measures which he says will support working families and help with the cost of living.

The new employment legislation includes proposals aimed at strengthening workplace protections. These include plans to restrict exploitative zero-hours contracts and “fire and rehire” practices, enhance protections for workers who report sexual harassment, and introduce improved rights around statutory sick pay and paternity leave, including some “day one” entitlements. 

Reflecting the national picture, polling conducted by the TUC suggests strong support for these measures among High Peak residents, with 79% backing the right to sick pay from the first day of employment and 73% supporting a ban on zero-hours contracts. 

Recent changes to wage levels have also taken effect nationally. The National Living Wage has increased, which the government says will benefit full-time workers, with estimates suggesting average annual gains of around £900 for some employees. The National Minimum Wage has also increased to £10.85, with the government stating this will affect hundreds of thousands of younger workers across the UK, including an estimated 280,000 across the East Midlands. 

Changes to welfare policy include the removal of the two-child benefit cap from 1 April, following the Chancellor’s announcement in the Autumn Budget. The government estimates this will benefit around 111,000 children and 30,350 families in the East Midlands. 

Other cost-of-living measures include an uprating of the state pension to £241.30 per week, a freeze in prescription charges in line with annual review arrangements, and a reduction in the energy price cap set by Ofgem, which is expected to lower typical household bills over the short term, with estimated savings of around £117 per year for an average household. 

Jon Pearce MP said: “Supporting working families is my number one priority. At a time of global insecurity, the government is strengthening security at work and cutting the cost of living. I’m proud that this Labour government is making work pay and ensuring workers have the peace of mind of knowing they’ll get paid if they’re sick. Nigel Farage and Reform will have to explain to High Peak’s voters - who overwhelmingly back these measures - why they’re so keen to scrap these vital protections.” 

Jon Pearce has previously argued that Reform UK’s position on workers’ rights represents a clear contrast with recent government reforms, pointing to the party’s opposition to the Employment Rights Bill during its passage through Parliament and its stated intention to review or amend elements of recent employment legislation. 

Reform UK MPs have voted against the legislation at various stages, according to parliamentary records, and the party has expressed concerns about the potential impact of measures such as restrictions on zero-hours contracts and reforms to “fire and rehire” practices, arguing that they could affect flexibility for employers. Nigel Farage has also commented at a national level that Reform UK would seek to reduce employment regulation, describing this as part of a wider effort to cut what the party views as unnecessary “red tape.” 

Overall, the issue reflects a wider political debate about how best to balance employment protections with business flexibility, with the government and opposition parties taking different approaches to workplace regulation and economic policy.