Energy crisis continues to cast a shadow ahead of price cap announcement - The Yorkshire Post says
Even energy companies are showing a bit more proactivity over people’s ability to cope through what is likely to be a very difficult winter. British Gas has said that it will donate 10 per cent of its profits to help poorer customers cope with rocketing bills through the crisis, redirecting around £12m to those customers.
That is a drop in the ocean and far greater intervention is going to be needed across the board.
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Hide AdAnd Shell Energy paying out more than £500,000 for overcharging thousands of customers for their gas and electricity, since the energy price cap was put in place over three years ago, will do little to lighten the public mood.
If, as expected, energy bills increase to £3,554 in October and hit £4,650 in January, then millions of households across the country could be plunged into financial distress.
Consumer group Which? has warned that the Government will have to raise its energy bill discount by 150 per cent.
Despite repeated warnings, the Government remains steadfast in its belief that any policy decision should be left to the next Prime Minister.
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Hide AdLiz Truss, frontrunner to become the next PM, has spent the majority of the leadership campaign pushing tax cuts instead of direct intervention to deal with the energy crisis.
However, now that Reform UK, formerly the Brexit Party, has called for interventions on pricing and energy, pressure will grow on Ms Truss to lay out a plan beyond just tax cuts.