The government needs to sharply increase the discounts it gives UK citizens to tackle rapidly rising energy bills, according to consumer rights champion Which?.
Rebates given to fight a cost-of-living crisis and rocketing inflation should increase across the board from £400 ($472) to £1,000, and for families on the lowest incomes the increase needs to include an extra £150, Which? said on Thursday.
Which? said its recommendation was only for the period up to March, and it came as the next price cap rise is set to be announced on Friday by regulator Ofgem.
Analysis by energy industry consultant Cornwall Insight indicates that households will face an 80 per cent rise in bills going into the winter period. Annual energy bills are tipped to hit £3,554 from October, and then rise to £4,650 from January.
Which? is calling on the government and Ofgem to begin an immediate review of retail energy pricing, including the price cap.
“With energy bill predictions continuing to spiral, the government must increase the Energy Bills Support Scheme by at least 150 per cent, or risk pushing millions of households into financial distress this winter,” said Rocio Concha, Which?'s director of policy and advocacy.
“While increased support will provide relief for many, it is not a long-term solution. The government and regulator must urgently undertake a wide-ranging review of retail energy pricing — including the price cap — to build a fair and affordable system for consumers.
“The government must also develop a programme to urgently improve the insulation of homes — as this will help to reduce people’s energy costs for years to come.”
Which? said the government’s financial support for all households must increase from the current £400 to £1,000 — or from £67 to £167 per month from October to March — after Cornwall’s analysis.
The existing support package is inadequate to protect living standards for those on the lowest incomes and would lead to considerable financial and social hardship, it said.
Which? warned that even a 150 per cent increase would be insufficient for families on the lowest incomes, and said the government must provide them with an additional one-off minimum payment of £150 to ensure the most vulnerable have the support they need.
It said the additional support would only be a temporary solution until March, when energy prices are expected to rise again and remain high throughout 2023.
Assuming Cornwall’s figures are correct it will mean that between October and April — which includes the coldest months of the year — the average household will pay the equivalent of £4,102 per year for their gas and electricity.
It would be a massive jump from today’s £1,971, which is already a record, and much higher than the £1,138 seen last winter.
Half of UK households could be in fuel poverty in January as a result of rocketing energy prices, EDF Energy's managing director Philippe Commaret has said.
RESULTS
Bantamweight
Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
(Split decision)
Featherweight
Hussein Salim (IRQ) beat Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
(Round 1 submission, armbar)
Catchweight 80kg
Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Otabek Kadirov (UZB)
(Round-1 submission, rear naked choke)
Lightweight
Ho Taek-oh (KOR) beat Ronald Girones (CUB)
(Round 3 submission, triangle choke)
Lightweight
Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) beat Damien Lapilus (FRA)
(Unanimous points)
Bantamweight
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
(Round 1 TKO)
Featherweight
Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
(Round 1 rear naked choke)
Flyweight
Shannon Ross (TUR) beat Donovon Freelow (USA)
(Unanimous decision)
Lightweight
Dan Collins (GBR) beat Mohammad Yahya (UAE)
(Round 2 submission D’arce choke)
Catchweight 73kg
Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM) beat Islam Mamedov (RUS)
(Round 3 submission, kneebar)
Bantamweight world title
Xavier Alaoui (MAR) beat Jaures Dea (CAM)
(Unanimous points 48-46, 49-45, 49-45)
Flyweight world title
Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
(Round 1 RSC)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
