CHARITIES and consumer organisations have called on the Prime Minister to fulfil a government pledge to consult on the introduction of a discounted rate on energy bills for millions of struggling households. Although the latest Energy Price Cap set by the regulator Ofgem — which came into effect on Sunday — is slightly lower than the previous cap, without the support of last year’s Energy Bills Support Scheme, household energy bills are about 13-per- cent higher than last winter, and 50-per-cent higher than two years ago. The letter says: “The energy crisis is not over, and while the wholesale price of gas is falling, energy bills remain sky-high. Currently £2.25 billion is owed by UK households who are behind on their energy bills, up more than 70 per cent over the past three years. We are therefore calling on the Government to publish the crucial consultation it committed to a year ago on future protection for energy consumers.”AdvertisementForecasters have warned that energy bills are likely to remain high for years to come.

Source: The Times October 02, 2023 09:25 UTC