Protect families from April energy bill hike, says Helen Morgan

Helen Morgan is demanding the Government cancel plans to hike the average household energy bill by £500 in April, and bring in a tax on the “bonanza bonuses” of oil and gas bosses.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for cuts to people's bills instead, combined with a new energy support package for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals.

In April the Conservatives are planning to hike the energy price guarantee by £500.

The Liberal Democrats plans would mean that in Shropshire the average household would be £467.71 better off. In total, people in Shropshire would save a huge £58.8 million.

Helen Morgan said new price hikes now will be a “hammer blow” to families and businesses already struggling and that action is needed now to save people from a “cost of living cliff-edge.”

It comes as many families in North Shropshire and across the country are still waiting for the £400 of winter fuel support due to Government delays organising help for residents of park homes and houseboats and people who live off the electricity grid. An online portal for applications has now belatedly opened but applicants have been warned responses will take six weeks.

Nationally, the Liberal Democrats have set out their plan to tackle the energy crisis including:

• A windfall tax on oil and gas companies to raise billions of pounds
• A cancellation of the Governments £500 energy bill rise in April
• A one-off bonus tax on oil and gas executives
• Doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300.
• A U-turn on plans to slash energy bill support for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals by 85%, and instead extend current levels of support for another six months.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said, “The Conservatives’ plan to hike energy bills in April will come as a hammer blow to families in North Shropshire already struggling with soaring mortgages and rents, shopping bills and tax rises.

“With no plan to deal with this cost-of-living crisis for people or businesses, this chaotic, out-of-touch Government is instead making it much worse because they just don’t get it.

“The Conservatives have already shown they don’t understand rural issues by failing to help off-grid homes, park homes and houseboats and now they are showing the don’t understand the pressures facing families all over the UK.

“People need real support and that’s what the Liberal Democrats are calling for. Sadly, to add insult to injury Rishi Sunak is happy for energy bosses to rake in millions of pounds in bonanza bonuses, while families struggle to put food on the table or heat their homes.”

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey added, “Rishi Sunak must act now to save families from a cost-of-living cliff edge, by cutting energy bills instead of increasing them. People deserve a fair deal - with a large cut to their energy bills, paid for by a proper windfall tax and a one-off levy on the bonuses of oil and gas bosses.”

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Notes

Household Plans:

• Under the Government’s plans, the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) will rise from £2,500 to £3,000 in April. This means that in the three months from April, the average household bill will rise by the equivalent of £500 a year.
• From July 2023, Ofgem’s energy price cap is expected to fall below the level of the Energy Price Guarantee, to around £2,200, meaning that the EPG will no longer offer protection from high energy prices.
• Liberal Democrats estimate that under the Government’s plans, the average household bill over the 12 months from April will be £2,369.
• Under Liberal Democrat plans, the Energy Price Guarantee would be set at £1,971 for the 12 months from April. That is the same level as the April 2022 Ofgem energy price cap. Amending the EPG from its current £2,500 to £1,971 would cut the average energy bill by the equivalent of £529 a year over the three months from April.
• Under Liberal Democrat plans, the average household bill over the 12 months from April would be £1,971. This is £398 lower than under the Government’s plan (see table 1).
• The Liberal Democrats are also calling for an additional package of measures targeted at vulnerable households to help them save hundreds of pounds off their energy bills. This would include doubling the Warm Homes Discount and the Winter Fuel Allowance, as well as kickstarting a new home insulation scheme starting with fuel poor households.

Costings:

The Liberal Democrat plan would mostly be funded through money already budgeted for energy support, but now unspent due to falling energy prices. Additional funds would be raised by a proper windfall tax on the record profits of oil and gas companies, including scrapping the fossil fuel investment loophole and raising the rate of the windfall tax from 35% to 40%. This could raise at least £15 billion more than the government’s current Energy Profits Levy.

£400 support applications

Households that are yet to receive £400 of winter fuel support can now apply online here.

Most households have already received the money via staggered £67 payments directly applied to electricity bills, but people without a direct relationship with an electricity supplier are yet to receive support.

This includes residents of off-grid homes, park homes, houseboats and some care home residents. People who cannot apply online or need help should call 0808 175 3287 or email alternativefunding@ebss.beis.gov.uk.