Lives at risk if energy bill rises not frozen, MP warns

New Prime Minister Liz Truss is expected to give a measure of relief to households across the country facing a sharp rise in their energy bills this winter.

Bath MP Wera Hobhouse had demanded that the government step in to tackle the issue.

Today (Thursday) Ms Truss is expected to announce that the typical energy bill could be capped at around £2,500.

The energy regulator Ofgem announced last month that the price cap should be raised to £3,549 per year for dual fuel for an average household from October 1, 2022.

Ms Hobhouse said of that plan: “This is catastrophic for millions of families and households across the country. Lives are at risk this winter without

government support to tackle soaring energy bills.

“Earlier this year a constituent wrote to me and said they had to spend all day in bed to keep warm.

“Others have said they no longer want to use a cooker and want to cook on an open fire instead. This is disastrous and the Conservatives have offered no solution. The energy price hike must be cancelled.

“They have no idea how much pain these energy prices will cause our country and to people in our region. Make no mistake, they are unfit to govern.

“There is no other option but for energy prices to be frozen before these rises wreak havoc in our communities.”