THE GUARDIAN: Some pensioners plan to cut back on heating after government removes benefit entitlement for nearly 10 million people
Preston Cox, 70, is worried about fuel debt this winter. After checking his entitlement to benefits, he learned that he is among the 9.9 million pensioners who no longer qualify for the winter fuel payment after the government announced it was restricting it in England and Wales.
Campaigners have warned that this figure includes up to 2 million struggling older people who could lose out on up to £300 a year after the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, limited the payment to only the poorest pensioners. » | Clea Skopeliti and Mabel Banfield-Nwachi | Friday, August 2, 2024
What are winter fuel payments and who will lose and keep them?: Rachel Reeves announced that the payments to pensioners will no longer be universal in England and Wales »
PETITION AGAINST CRUEL RACHEL’S SCRAPPING OF THE WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE: DON’T SCRAP WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE FOR MILLIONS OF STRUGGLING PENSIONERS – Sign the petition here.
Showing posts with label energy bills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label energy bills. Show all posts
Friday, August 02, 2024
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
IMF Criticises Kwarteng Again over Tax Cuts and Energy Package
THE GUARDIAN: Fund says chancellor’s measures have made Bank of England’s battle against inflation more difficult
Kwasi Kwarteng has come under fresh fire from the International Monetary Fund after the Washington-based organisation said his tax cuts and energy support package had made the Bank of England’s battle against inflation more difficult.
The IMF used its prestigious world economic outlook (WEO) to criticise the scale of the stimulus provided by the chancellor and the blanket nature of the price cap on gas and electricity bills.
It said the UK was on course for a sizeable slowdown in growth from 3.6% this year to 0.3% in 2023 but said its forecasts had been made before Kwarteng delivered his mini-budget on 23 September. » | Larry Elliott in Washington | Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Kwasi Kwarteng has come under fresh fire from the International Monetary Fund after the Washington-based organisation said his tax cuts and energy support package had made the Bank of England’s battle against inflation more difficult.
The IMF used its prestigious world economic outlook (WEO) to criticise the scale of the stimulus provided by the chancellor and the blanket nature of the price cap on gas and electricity bills.
It said the UK was on course for a sizeable slowdown in growth from 3.6% this year to 0.3% in 2023 but said its forecasts had been made before Kwarteng delivered his mini-budget on 23 September. » | Larry Elliott in Washington | Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Thursday, September 08, 2022
Liz Truss to Freeze Energy Bills at £2,500 a Year Average, Funded by Borrowing
THE GUARDIAN: PM announces £150bn scheme and resumption of fracking as she pledges to tackle root causes of crisis
Liz Truss will freeze energy bills at an average of £2,500 a year for two years from 1 October, and has pledged to tackle the root causes of the problems in the UK energy market through plans to increase supply, including the resumption of fracking.
The government will fund the scheme to reduce the unit cost of energy through increased borrowing. The cost is likely to be about £150bn, although Whitehall sources said estimates would not come until a fiscal statement from the chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, expected later this month.
The so-called energy price guarantee will limit the price suppliers can charge customers for units of gas. Truss will temporarily remove green levies worth about £150 a year on average from household bills. Her scheme will cover England, Scotland and Wales, but something similar is expected to follow in Northern Ireland. » | Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker | Thursday, September 8, 2022
Liz Truss will freeze energy bills at an average of £2,500 a year for two years from 1 October, and has pledged to tackle the root causes of the problems in the UK energy market through plans to increase supply, including the resumption of fracking.
The government will fund the scheme to reduce the unit cost of energy through increased borrowing. The cost is likely to be about £150bn, although Whitehall sources said estimates would not come until a fiscal statement from the chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, expected later this month.
The so-called energy price guarantee will limit the price suppliers can charge customers for units of gas. Truss will temporarily remove green levies worth about £150 a year on average from household bills. Her scheme will cover England, Scotland and Wales, but something similar is expected to follow in Northern Ireland. » | Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker | Thursday, September 8, 2022
Friday, August 19, 2022
NHS Bosses Warn ‘Unprecedented’ Risk of Death from Cold Weather and Soaring Energy Bills
Friday, August 12, 2022
Boris Johnson Says UK Energy-bill Support Package Is Not Enough
THE GUARDIAN: PM fuels Tory leadership dispute by saying UK will need to find more cash to help with surging bills
Boris Johnson said more support would need to be provided by winter. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AP
Boris Johnson has acknowledged that the package of support to help people pay surging energy bills is not enough, as the split deepens between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss over how to deal with the crisis.
Amid forecasts that energy bills could hit £5,000 a year by next April, the prime minister made clear that he expected his successor to act.
Asked if the current package of £400 off bills, rising to £650 for vulnerable households, was enough, Johnson said: “No, because what I’m saying what we’re doing in addition is trying to make sure that by October, by January, there is further support, and what the government will be doing, whoever is the prime minister, is making sure there is extra cash to help people.” » | Rowena Mason, Deputy political editor | Friday, April 12, 2022
Boris Johnson has acknowledged that the package of support to help people pay surging energy bills is not enough, as the split deepens between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss over how to deal with the crisis.
Amid forecasts that energy bills could hit £5,000 a year by next April, the prime minister made clear that he expected his successor to act.
Asked if the current package of £400 off bills, rising to £650 for vulnerable households, was enough, Johnson said: “No, because what I’m saying what we’re doing in addition is trying to make sure that by October, by January, there is further support, and what the government will be doing, whoever is the prime minister, is making sure there is extra cash to help people.” » | Rowena Mason, Deputy political editor | Friday, April 12, 2022
Thursday, August 11, 2022
UK Energy Bills 'to Top £5,000 in January'
Aug 11, 2022 British households face average energy bills surging above £5,000 next year, according to the latest forecast by the energy consultancy Auxilione.
The warning follows a steep rise in wholesale gas prices - and came as the Prime Minister attended a meeting with the electricity sector in Downing Street. That meeting failed to produce any immediate concrete help for struggling households.
This USELESS government needs to be kicked out of office as soon as possible. Brexit has been a disaster. BoJo has been a disaster. Liz Truss will/would be a disaster. As will/would Rishi Sunak. This country is falling apart. – © Mark
The warning follows a steep rise in wholesale gas prices - and came as the Prime Minister attended a meeting with the electricity sector in Downing Street. That meeting failed to produce any immediate concrete help for struggling households.
This USELESS government needs to be kicked out of office as soon as possible. Brexit has been a disaster. BoJo has been a disaster. Liz Truss will/would be a disaster. As will/would Rishi Sunak. This country is falling apart. – © Mark
Tuesday, August 02, 2022
Thursday, February 03, 2022
Energy Bills: Rishi Sunak Gives One-off £200 Discount to Households
THE GUARDIAN: Most consumers to get additional support from £150 rebate on their council tax amid cost of living crisis
A one-off £200 discount and a rebate on council tax bills have been announced by Rishi Sunak in a £9bn package designed to “take the sting” out of a £700-a-year rise in the average household’s energy bills in April.
The chancellor said 80% of households would receive £350 in support this year in response to the decision by the energy regulator Ofgem to raise its price cap to just under £2,000.
In an attempt to mitigate Britain’s cost of living crisis, Sunak said all households would receive £200 off their energy bills in October – but then pay the discount back by £40 a year for the subsequent five years.
The chancellor said council taxpayers in England in bands A to D would receive a rebate of £150 from their bills in April, which will not have to be paid back. » | Larry Elliott | Thursday, February 3, 2022
British households face record 54% energy bill rise as price cap is raised: Move by Ofgem means millions likely to be driven into fuel poverty unless government acts to ease cost of living crisis »
A one-off £200 discount and a rebate on council tax bills have been announced by Rishi Sunak in a £9bn package designed to “take the sting” out of a £700-a-year rise in the average household’s energy bills in April.
The chancellor said 80% of households would receive £350 in support this year in response to the decision by the energy regulator Ofgem to raise its price cap to just under £2,000.
In an attempt to mitigate Britain’s cost of living crisis, Sunak said all households would receive £200 off their energy bills in October – but then pay the discount back by £40 a year for the subsequent five years.
The chancellor said council taxpayers in England in bands A to D would receive a rebate of £150 from their bills in April, which will not have to be paid back. » | Larry Elliott | Thursday, February 3, 2022
British households face record 54% energy bill rise as price cap is raised: Move by Ofgem means millions likely to be driven into fuel poverty unless government acts to ease cost of living crisis »
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