Nicola Sturgeon has announced a rent freeze for public and private rented properties as part of efforts to help people struggling with rising bills.

The first minister said the cost-of-living crisis was a “humanitarian emergency” which could cost lives.

Her government is to table emergency legislation banning evictions during winter and freezing rents until spring.

There are also plans to freeze rail fares and to boost the Scottish Child Payment to £25 per week from November.

Ms Sturgeon has also written to new Prime Minister Liz Truss, asking her to convene a four-nation meeting of political leaders to focus on helping households.

The plans were part of the first minister’s annual Programme for Government speech, which comes at the start of each new year at Holyrood.

Reacting to the publication of the 2022-2023 Programme for Government, Charandeep Singh BEM, Deputy Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:

“The First Minister rightly highlighted the challenges faced by businesses and households as spiralling energy bills and inflation weigh down on confidence and prospects of a recession loom large.

“Despite the resilience of business communities, it is clear we are in an economic crisis which poses an existential threat to firms and communities across Scotland.

“Whilst the Scottish Government has set out its priorities, the real test will come in the next fortnight as the new Prime Minister presents the UK Government’s emergency budget which has no choice but to deliver financial support for businesses and households across the UK.

“It is paramount the UK Government announces practical support which provides businesses with financial reliefs, as well as providing equitable consequential funding to the Scottish Government so that devolved policy matters such as the burden of Non-Domestic Rates can be meaningfully reduced for Scottish businesses.”

Programme for Government