New PM will bring in more support: Boris

The outgoing PM hinted at the scale of the options to ease the burden being teed up for either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak to consider, as he insisted “we must and we will help people through the crisis”.

It comes after Cabinet minister George Eustice said it is “right” that the next leader waits until they take office to weigh up all the potential moves to combat the cost-of-living crunch.

In an article for Mail+, Mr Johnson acknowledged the next few months will be difficult – “perhaps very tough” – as “eye-watering” energy bills take their toll, but he forecast that the UK will emerge “stronger and more prosperous (on) the other side”.

He said “colossal sums of taxpayers’ money” had already been committed to assisting people with their bills.

But he added: “Next month – whoever takes over from me – the government will announce another huge package of financial support.”

Earlier, Mr Eustice said both leadership candidates had already set out “some specific things” they would do to ease the strain, but argued it was right that whoever secures the keys to No 10 would “want to look at all of the options properly costed” once they started in the role.

Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has suggested people earning around £45,000 per year could be among those struggling to cope with soaring living costs as the energy price cap is hiked again.

Regulator Ofgem warned the Government on Friday it must act urgently to “match the scale of the crisis we have before us” as Britain faced the news the average household’s yearly bill will rise from £1,971 to £3,549.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme on Saturday, Mr Eustice said: “We announced a package of measures in June which was a £400 rebate for everyone, and then additional support for the most vulnerable.

“Both candidates have said they will do more. You don’t have long to wait, there will be a new prime minister in place in 10 days or so.

“And that is the point at which that new prime minister should look at the options and make decisions.”