Labour leaflet repeats claim about being £5,883 worse off under the Conservatives
We’ve seen a leaflet from Labour making the claim that “since 2019 Tory chaos has cost you £5,883”.
This isn’t the first time Labour have made a claim using this figure, and there are a number of problems with it. They previously claimed “typical families” are £5,883 worse off “under Rishi Sunak”.
But the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that real household disposable income per person will fall by £166 between 2019/20 and 2024/25, from £21,767 to £21,601. This equates to just under £400 for the average household.
So where did Labour’s figure come from? The party says it’s the increase in six household costs faced by “typical families” since 2019:
- Energy price cap: £479
- Groceries: £1,040
- Council tax: £421
- Mortgages: £2,880
- Personal tax: £874
- Motoring: £189
But there are a number of problems with this figure.
Firstly, it only considers six household outgoings, some of which will not apply to many families—such as those who don’t have a car or mortgage—and doesn’t count others like water and phone bills.
Secondly, it doesn’t take into account any changes in wages or benefits since 2019.
We first fact checked this earlier in the month and the leaflet repeating the claim has been sent out in the Earley and Woodley constituency.