Last
week marked the one-year anniversary of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Russia launched military action in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and since then the UK has played a leading role in the international response to support Ukraine.
While Russian forces continue to carry out a full-scale assault on the country, we will continue to stand with Ukrainians in their struggle against oppression.
However, this has not come without a price. Putin’s war in Ukraine has had far-reaching implications for not just this country, but around the globe, and has led to soaring energy costs.
Earlier this week Ofgem announced that from next month the energy price cap will fall to £3,280 per year for average households – down from the £4,279 figure from January to March which reflects the fall in wholesale energy prices. However, oil and gas prices remain high and bills steep.
Last year the government introduced a package of support measures worth billions of pounds to ensure households don’t suffer through the winter months, including the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG).
This has protected people from sky-rocketing prices as we would have seen annual energy bills soar to over £3,500. I understand this would have been impossible for many households in Mid-Cornwall to afford, so under the government’s Energy Price Guarantee, energy suppliers were restricted in what they could charge households per unit of energy with the government making up the rest.
This has kept bills for a typical household to around £2,500, saving people £900 over the winter months. I am pleased to see this support will continue for another 12 months from April, saving households an average of £500 for 2023 to 2024 in the face of energy prices that are forecast to remain high.
It’s good to see the government continuing to review its response to the international cost of living crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and provide further funding and support to those who need it most.
We understand the pressure many people are under to pay their bills and so to ensure no one struggles, other extra support will also be available to help the most vulnerable.
A further £1,200 of support in direct targeted payments is being provided to help households this year, with £26 billion worth of targeted support to protect the most vulnerable announced by the Chancellor for the next financial year.
From
April, those households who need it most, will receive additional cash payments
to help with energy costs, including £900 to households on means-tested
benefits; £300 for pensioner households and also £150 to people on certain
disability benefits.
Cornwall Council will also receive more than £9 million of additional support from the government to help families that need support as part of the Household Support Fund.
This is a discretionary fund provided to local authorities so they can provide support to vulnerable families struggling to cover essential costs who may not be eligible for other Government support schemes.
This funding takes the total level of support provided to Cornwall Council for this fund to nearly £23 million which is locally targeted and spent to enable it to reach those who need it the most.
Last year the Government also introduced the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) so every household with a domestic electricity connection was given a £400 discount on their energy bills, amounting to £66 or £67 per month.
More than £7.2 billion has been provided to households so far and on Monday the government’s online application portal opened so that households without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier, such as those living in park homes and care homes, can now apply.
This is something constituents have contacted me about and I have been calling on ministers to ensure this support is implemented as quickly as possible so am pleased to see the application portal is now open.
I would encourage all eligible households to apply as soon as they can as the sooner you do the sooner you will receive the help.
The Government has already delivered an unprecedented package of measures to help households across the UK and the support provided through the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bills Support Scheme have covered around half of a typical household’s energy bills.
As we are now heading into Spring and the lighter and warmer months, we are more likely to use less gas and electricity, however I, along with the government, will continue to review the situation to ensure those who need support receive the help they need and that no one is left struggling.
If
I can be of assistance on this matter, or another, please get in touch with my
office by calling 01726 829379 or email office@stevedouble.org.uk
