Pressure on Hunt as energy bills will rise despite fall in price cap
Pressure is mounting on the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, to postpone a looming cut in support for household energy costs as consumers face an increase in their bills from April – despite a fall in the industry price cap of almost £1,000.
The energy regulator for Great Britain, Ofgem, said on Monday that its cap on the amount suppliers can charge for energy for average dual fuel, direct debit customers would fall by 23% for the three months from 1 April to £3,280, from £4,279 for the January to March quarter.
Consumers will not actually pay this figure as the government’s energy price guarantee and its £400 discount scheme subsidise household bills, keeping the price for a typical household at £2,100 a year. However, from April the price guarantee will become less generous and the discount will be withdrawn, meaning the typical annual bill will rise to £3,000.
Hunt faced renewed calls on Monday to postpone the cut in support.
The consumer campaigner Martin Lewis and more than 80 charities have urged the chancellor to keep support in place for a further three months until July.
Read more at The Guardian