The government’s latest cost of living venture leaves much to be desired

In the words of the government, it and "leading businesses" have "joined forces" to help households with cost of living – with an announcement of discounts from businesses like Asda, Morrisons, Amazon and Vodafone as part of the "help for households" campaign.

The deals, apparently brokered by the cost of living business tsar – and former Just Eat boss – David Buttress (and not all new), range from the useful: an extension of Asda’s ‘Kids eat for £1’ scheme, where children aged 16 and under can access a hot or cold meal for £1 at any time of day in Asda Cafes across the UK, and a Sainsbury’s "feed your family [of 4] for a fiver" promotion, to the less so. The chance for a child to see a West End show for free throughout August with a full paying adult, anyone?

While it is true that it is not just essentials that need covering and people need to chance to enjoy events, Some were quick to point out that such free tickets are less of a draw to those above the Watford gap given the cost of train tickets or a tank of petrol.

"The idea that a free West End theatre ticket for a child, with a full-paying adult, is going to help people in the Midlands and the north and large swathes of the south is just not going to cut it I'm afraid," the Labour leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, Shaun Davies, told the BBC.

As pointed out by my colleague, James Moore, last month, the fact that businesses are not being compensated by the government over the discounts - so what does that mean for businesses who might want to be be involved, but are facing high input costs themselves thanks to rising inflation?

Boris Johnson said the announced deals "won’t solve the issue overnight" but are "another weapon in our arsenal as we fight back against scourge of rising prices and inflation". A statement that already seems designed to try and negate criticism of the relative weakness of the offering as opposed to more targeted help. As for Buttress, he has said that these deals reflect a "good start" to the initiative but that there would be "more deals to announce" – such as around when children return to school in September and at Christmas.

Anything that helps relives the pressure people are facing even a little has to be welcomed – but it is clear that the government will need to do more along the lines of the 7.2 million payments of £326 made to help households this month.

A total of £2.4 billion has been paid to households on low incomes in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a second instalment of £324 arriving later this year, according to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and it is targeted support such as this that will make the biggest difference.