We contacted all of the candidates vying for your vote to be the next MP for the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency, asking each of them the same questions. We've taken their responses exactly as they were sent to us - so you know where each of the candidates stand, to help you decide who to vote for.

Here's their responses to the question:

How will you address the rising cost of living and support families struggling with day-to-day expenses?

Meg Powell-Chandler - Conservative:

"The number one thing we can do to support families with the cost of living is to bring down inflation, so people's money goes further. Thanks to the Conservative clear plan and bold action, inflation is at normal levels from its peak of 11.1 percent, taxes have been cut by £900 for the average worker and wages are growing faster than prices.

Strengthening the economy also means we have been able to afford more support for the most vulnerable in society. We have uprated benefits by 6.7 percent this year, increased Local Housing Allowance for 1.6 million households by an average of around £800 this year and increased the National Living Wage to £11.44 an hour to deliver a £1,800 annual boost for the lowest paid. We have also paid more than £11 billion of Cost of Living Payments for households on means-tested benefits and extended the Household Support Fund to £3 billion."

Craig Clarke - Independent:

"If a constituent honestly presents me with their financial problems I will help them to ensure they are getting the financial help they are entitled to - they often are not aware of what they are entitled to legally. Once that is done, if they still have problems I will seek to help any way I can."

Helen Hims - Reform UK:

"The current cost of living crisis is due primarily to the astronomical amount of money the government wasted during the wholly unnecessary lockdowns. Millions of people were paid to sit at home and billions paid to pharmaceutical companies, dodgy PPE suppliers, and advertising programs designed to keep the public compliant and scared. As a result, we're now stuck with the highest tax burden in 70 years. Of course, Labour and the Lib Dems were constantly shouting for harsher restrictions.

We would lift the income tax start point to £20,000 per year. This will free up 7 million people from paying income tax, and save every worker almost £1500 per year.

Scrap energy levies and Net Zero to slash energy and fuel bills saving each household approx £500 per annum.

Oppose the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) and oppose a cashless society. Cash is vital to budget spending on a lower income and for the elderly. CBDCs are also a risk to our privacy and liberty.

Scrap the BBC license fee. The TV license fee is taxation without representation, and in a world of on-demand TV people should be free to choose - saving £159 per annum."

Abi McGuire - Independent:

"I have door-knocked over 22,000 homes all through the winter in freezing temperatures. Many people answered the door to me in their overcoats, hats, and gloves. Too many working families are now reliant on food banks for necessities. This is not acceptable in a country that has the sixth-largest economy in the world. We must be realistic about this issue and work collaboratively in parliament to find solutions to address this now fundamental problem."

Tessa Munt - Liberal Democrats:

"Too many people struggle to make ends meet and we've seen the fastest rise in child poverty for 30 years.

The Lib Dems have set out a range of solutions in our manifesto to help people, including a proper windfall tax on oil and gas giants, an emergency rollout of home insulation, increased energy bill support for people on Universal Credit or Pension Credit, the reintroduction of Free School Meals, the expansion of Rural Fuel Duty Relief, and a National Food Strategy that would address rising supermarket prices."

Joe Joseph - Labour and Co-op:

"Things are tough now and have been for some time. We have to spend what money we have well. Free breakfast clubs will help children and parents with their household budget. The new deal for working people will help make work pay and level up terms and conditions for people. We will introduce measures that extend flexible working and improve terms and conditions of employment, including: ending fire and re-hire and zero-hours contracts.

We will switch on GB energy to provide energy security and in the long-term cut bills. We are aiming for a £300 reduction per household, from this measure alone. Whilst also protecting the climate and securing our children's economic futures."

Peter Welsh- Green Party:

No response was received.

What are your plans for ensuring fair wages and tackling poverty in our area?

Meg Powell-Chandler - Conservative:

"We are providing substantial support through the welfare system, spending around £276 billion through social security in 2024-25. In 2022-23, there were 1.1 million fewer people in absolute low income after housing costs than in 2009-10; including 100,000 fewer children, 700,000 fewer working age adults and 200,000 fewer pensioners."

Craig Clarke - Independent:

"If a constituent honestly presents me with their financial problems I will help them to ensure they are getting the financial help they are entitled to - they often are not aware of what they are entitled to legally. Once that is done, if they still have problems I will seek to help any way I can."

Helen Hims - Reform UK:

"Our flagship policy is designed to 'make work pay' by lifting the income tax threshold to £20,000. This will help thousands of local people back into work, escaping the benefits trap.

We will introduce reforms to benefit support and training which will help local people back into work, and provide tax relief to businesses that take on apprentices.

We will address the illegal working scandal whereby local wages are depressed because of cheap, undocumented illegal labour which undermines local job opportunities and wages. Significant penalties will be imposed on companies and directors that breach these rules.

We will end Labour and the Tories' deadly addiction to mass immigration by increasing NI contributions on the employment of foreign workers (except in health and social care) to 20% to incentivize businesses to employ British workers and increase wages."

Abi McGuire - Independent:

"We need to live in a more equal society. We need to apply a trauma-informed approach to recognize the discrepancies with access to education, employment, and overall quality of life. This is another important item where we need to work collaboratively towards sustainable long-term solutions."

Tessa Munt - Liberal Democrats:

"I firmly believe people should have secure jobs, with proper rights and fair pay – this helps to tackle poverty, as will the cost-of-living support measures I've set out above. To ensure fair wages, we would:

• Create a new Authority to enforce the minimum wage, tackle modern slavery, and protect agency workers.
• Fix the broken Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) system making it available to the more than one million workers earning less than £123 a week, most of whom are women, aligning SSP with the National Minimum Wage, and making payments available from the first day of missing work rather than the fourth.
• Introduce a 20% higher minimum wage for people on zero-hour contracts to compensate them for the uncertainty of fluctuating hours of work.
• Guarantee that apprentices are paid at least the National Minimum Wage, by scrapping the lower apprentice rate.
• Increase care workers pay to £2 above the National Minimum Wage to help recognize the value they bring to society."

Joe Joseph - Labour and Co-op:

"The new deal for working people will help make work pay and level up terms and conditions for people. We will introduce measures that extend flexible working and improve terms and conditions of employment, including: ending fire and re-hire and zero-hours contracts."

Peter Welsh- Green Party:

No response was received.