Downing Street has been forced to deny the government is planning an emergency package to help people cope with the cost of living crisis after Boris Johnson appeared to suggest an announcement was imminent.
The prime minister told the House of Commons that he and the Chancellor would say more on the matter “in the days to come”.
That led to speculation that Rishi Sunak could deliver an emergency budget to help people cope with soaring bills.
But sources close to Sunak quickly made clear that they knew nothing about it, and insisted no new measures were due before the autumn.
One ally of the Chancellor told HuffPost UK there were “no announcements as far as we are aware”.
They added: “Rishi has always been clear that we would set out plans for support on energy bills for autumn when we know what the [energy] price cap is going to be - but we’re not there yet.”
Johnson made his comments in a debate on the Queen’s Speech, which contained 38 bills but no immediate plans for dealing with the cost of living crisis.
He said: “My right honourable friend the Chancellor and I will be saying more about this in the days to come.
“But at the same time as we help people, we need the legislative firepower to fix the underlying problems in energy supply, in housing, in infrastructure and in skills which are driving up costs for families across the country.
“And this Queen’s Speech takes those issues head on. And above all, we are tackling the economic challenges with the best solution of all and that is an ever growing number of high wage, high skill jobs. Jobs, jobs, jobs.”
A source close to the prime minister said: “Just to be very clear, there are no plans for an emergency budget.
“Ministers have been challenged to explore every possible avenue for easing the cost of living. And meetings on that basis are taking place all the time.
“There is also a regional cabinet on Thursday that will focus on some of this but it would be wrong to build up expectations of a major moment.”