The Government has unveiled their support package aimed at helping households through the fuel crisis, but one expert has explained why a new solution is needed.

A temporary $50 weekly tax credit for about 143,000 eligible lower-income families with children has been implemented, and it will continue for a year, or until the price of 91 drops below $3 a litre for four weeks in a row.

Auckland University expert Dr Tim Welch says free public transport would cost the country less - and the data shows it would benefit more people.

"The data really shows that it would go beyond just the working lower income people that would currently benefit from the payment - students, beneficiaries, single working adults, single out-of-work adults, people on super. It'd just be a much broader impact."

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