2ND HOME BACKLASH
Sunak grilled on £400 energy bill payment to extra property owners
RISHI Sunak was yesterday forced to defend handing secondhome owners hundreds of pounds to help with energy bills.
He said there was no better way of boosting support in the cost of living crisis amid criticism property barons will benefit from cuts on fuel costs.
Under the Chancellor’s £15billion plan unveiled last month, millions of households will receive a £400 discount, with £650 payments for eight million of the worst-off families.
But people with multiple homes will get help for each house they own.
Mr Sunak, who with wife Akshata Murty appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List with a joint £730m fortune, was told 772,000 secondhome owners would receive £800 discounts, costing taxpayers £620m.
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh added 61,000 people with three homes will get a £1,200 discount, costing the public purse £73m.
She asked with the tax burden at its highest level since the 1940s, is it a good use of funds for those on the rich list or
MPs to get the support when others are choosing between heating and eating?
Grilled by the Treasury Select Committee, the Chancellor said: “This is the most effective way to get support to a very large number of people in a way that would be timely and help them where they need to.
“There will be some who don’t need that help – that is unfortunately the consequence of having to do policy in practical terms.” Mr Sunak has pledged to donate the discount for his various homes to charity.
He said the scheme, funded by £10bn of borrowing and a £5bn windfall tax on oil and gas giants, would have only a “minimal” impact on inflation, which is at 9%.
Mr Sunak, who dampened hopes of further help for families, was accused of rushing out his May 26 package to “divert attention from the Prime Minister’s lawbreaking” following the Partygate report. He denied the claim, saying families would need help with the energy price cap rise in October.
There will be some who do not need that help
RISHI SUNAK ON CASH FOR PROPERTY BARONS