Author: Aamna Mohdin

The government said England would receive £27m of the funding, which would be be “targeted” to help low-income households in rural communities, and be distributed by local authorities via the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which comes into effect from 1 April.

The report highlighted £15m was spent on advisers between 12 April 2025 and 31 January 2026, and £359m to British Steel for operating activities, such as paying for raw materials and payroll, while £3m was spent on legal and other costs at the North Lincolnshire plant.

“Bio-based polymers, bamboo fibres and organic cotton all come with higher raw material and processing costs than traditional plastics, while the supply chains for these sustainable inputs are still immature, making prices volatile and challenging for mass market brands,” she says.