'I'm not giving financial advice': Truss amid cost of living crisis

Norfolk MP Ms Truss made the comment while appearing on BBC Look East on Thursday (September 29) to discuss the government's plan to deal with rising energy bills sparked by the chancellor’s mini-budget.

Ms Truss insisted the government’s tax-cutting measures are the “right plan” in the face of rising energy bills and to get the economy growing despite market turmoil.

But when asked about what advice Ms Truss had for people that were thinking of buying somewhere in London, the prime minister said she "wouldn't give advice" to people on their property purchases.

She said: "We're facing very difficult economic times at the moment which is why the government has acted particularly in areas like energy bills, making sure taxes are competitive and helping the economy keep moving."

When asked a second time, Ms Truss reiterated that she "wouldn't give financial advice" as her job was to be "prime minister".

"I want to make sure we support people through this difficult winter," Ms Truss added.

"People were facing fuel bills of up to £6,000 and we've taken decisive action that from this weekend, with our energy price guarantee a typical household will pay no more than £2,500."

Earlier in the day, Ms Truss said she "had to do" what she believed was right for the country when speaking to BBC Radio Norfolk.

It comes after the pound sunk to a record low of 1.03 against the US dollar on Monday.

On Wednesday, the Bank of England launched an emergency government bond-buying programme to prevent borrowing costs from spiralling out of control and stave off a “material risk to UK financial stability”.

The Bank announced it was stepping in to buy up to £65 billion worth of government bonds – known as gilts – at an “urgent pace” after fears over the government’s tax-cutting plans sent the pound tumbling and sparked a sell-off in the gilts market, which left some UK pension funds teetering on the brink of collapse.