No one should have their energy supplies cut off this winter because they cannot afford to pay their bills, the UK chancellor has said.
Nadhim Zahawi said the government was working with energy companies to ensure vulnerable people get the help and understanding they need.
His comments come amid a worsening cost-of-living crisis, which will see household disposable incomes drop by 10 per cent over the course of this year and next.
“No one should be cut off because they can’t afford their bills,” he told Sky’s Kay Burley during a visit to Washington.
“I am working with the companies, and NGOs of course, to make sure people who really are struggling get that help, both financially, the £37 billion ($43bn).
“But the companies themselves have already started to write letters and emails to ask people if they are vulnerable, if they feeling they can’t pay, they should contact their supplier, their companies.
“My pledge to your viewers is that we will deliver the £37 billion, so that £1,200 goes to the most vulnerable 8 million households [on means-tested benefits].”
Think tank the Resolution Foundation said the number of people living in absolute poverty is set to rise by three million, to 14 million in 2023-24, unless policies or economic forecasts change.
It warned wages are now falling at their fastest rate since 1997, representing a 10 per cent fall in mean disposable income by 2023-24 which “is likely to be the worst for at least a century”.
The figure is equivalent to £3,000 for the typical household, according to the foundation.
“Britain is already experiencing the biggest fall in real pay since 1977, and a tough winter looms as energy bills hit £500 a month,” said Lalitha Try, a researcher at the Resolution Foundation.
“With high inflation likely to stay with us for much of next year, the outlook for living standards is frankly terrifying.
“Typical households are on course to see their real incomes fall by £3,000 over the next two years — the biggest squeeze in at least a century — while three million extra people could fall into absolute poverty.”
Experts have warned of the impact that could have on children whose parents cannot afford to pay for their energy bills, saying cold homes will damage their lungs and brain development.
“There will be excess deaths among some children where families are forced into not being able to heat their homes,” Dr Simon Langton-Hewer, president of the British Paediatric Respiratory Society, told The Guardian.
“It will be dangerous, I’m afraid.”
The boss of Ovo Energy, the UK’s third largest energy supplier, has put forward a plan that would subsidise bills for the poorest households by allowing energy companies to borrow from a government-backed fund.
Under Stephen Fitzpatrick’s plan, everyone would receive some help, but higher earners would see theirs taper off as they used more energy. That is similar to how the tax system works, with a standard allowance and higher rates for bigger earners.
And all households will see £400 knocked off bills in six-monthly instalments starting from October.
But Mr Fitzpatrick said those payments should be made in full before Christmas.
He also said both the higher charges paid by prepayment customers and the standing charge, which customers pay regardless of their use, should be scrapped.
Mr Fitzpatrick said helping low-income families with energy bills “has to be the first order of business” for the new Conservative leader and prime minister.
“If we don't use every available moment over the next 12 weeks to solve this, we are going to see a winter like never before with people going hungry and going cold and the NHS being overwhelmed by the health impacts of the energy crisis,” he told the BBC.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
More on Quran memorisation:
More on animal trafficking
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Meydan Racecourse racecard:
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 | 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden for 2-year-old fillies (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: The Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 1,600m
8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,600m
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,600m.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The Little Things
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Four stars
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Company%20Profile
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