Makerfield MP welcomes plans for help with energy bills after price cap rise
An MP hopes proposals to help more residents with their energy bills will make “a real difference” to people living in Wigan.
Energy regulator Ofgem has announced its price cap will increase from April 1, with bills for millions of households set to rise by 6.4 per cent.
This price is set independently of the Government and reflects changes in wholesale prices and global markets.
In response, the Government is bringing forward plans to expand the Warm Home Discount, giving eligible households £150 off their energy bills.
This would bring nearly 2.7m households across the country into the scheme and push the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to an estimated 6.1m.
Makerfield MP Josh Simons said: “This announcement from the Government will make a real difference to families in our towns who are struggling to pay their energy bills.
“I hear from people in our communities regularly that bills are a problem and so I’m really proud of this announcement. We’ll keep working to secure our energy system, protect it from the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets and give working people the security they deserve.
“With GB energy and more support like today’s, we’re making sure that your bills don’t cost the earth – and give you money to spare.”
Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: “Labour is determined to do everything we can to protect families from the grip of fossil fuel markets. Expanding the Warm Home Discount can help protect millions of families from rising energy bills, offering support to consumers across the country.
“This Labour Government will always stand up for working people.
“Through our clean power mission we are determined to deliver energy security and bring down bills for good, with homegrown clean power that we in Britain control.”
The Government is also accelerating proposals to introduce a debt relief scheme, which would target unsustainable debt built up by households during the energy crisis.
This would help to cut the costs of servicing bad debt, which currently contributes to higher bills for all billpayers, and could lower these costs by £25 to £30 per year.