Chancellor Jeremy Hunt reaffirmed the government's dedication to toughen benefit sanctions in his address at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. Simultaneously, he pledged to increase the national living wage to over £11 per hour. As part of his speech, the senior minister unveiled a cost-saving strategy to freeze the Civil Service's expansion, aiming to reduce staffing levels to pre-pandemic standards, thus targeting a £1 billion saving.
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00:00 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt reaffirmed the Government's dedication to toughen benefit sanctions in
00:07 his address at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. Simultaneously, he pledged
00:12 to increase the national living wage to over £11 per hour. As part of his speech, the
00:18 senior minister unveiled a cost-cutting strategy to freeze the civil services expansion, aiming
00:25 to reduce staffing levels to pre-pandemic standards, thus targeting a £1 billion saving.
00:32 At the moment it's £10.42 an hour and we're waiting for the Low Pay Commission to tell
00:37 us next year's recommendation. But I confirm today, whatever that recommendation, we'll
00:43 increase the national living wage to at least £11 an hour next year. That's a pay rise
00:50 for two million workers and the wages of the lowest paid over £9,000 higher than they
00:57 were in 2010.
00:58 [APPLAUSE]