Government must step in to help with fuel hardship

The moment of truth on energy bills is fast approaching – but sadly, this moment will only confirm how bad things are going to get... there is unlikely to be any last-minute good news. The issue is the energy cap that is imposed on prices by Ofgem. This was brought in as part of a bid to stop suppliers from ripping off customers who weren’t on fixed deals, and imposes a maximum amount that companies can charge the ‘average household’.

A new cap level will come in on April 1, and this will be announced on February 7... but everything points to households having to pay hundreds of pounds a year more for fuel.

And the reason they are facing higher bills is the same one that saw several energy companies go to the wall during the autumn. The wholesale price of gas has rocketed due to high demand, so the amount that suppliers need to charge us to make a profit has risen too. As we said, there’s unlikely to be good news.

However, where this becomes a crisis is that any jump will push people into poverty. Most people in the county will notice a difference, and will feel a squeeze, but choosing between heating and eating – as several people have told us today is already happening in Portsmouth, before any price hikes – is unacceptable.

We should have evolved from such a Dickensian predicament; a civilised society should not leave those in need without basic comforts, but solving this is not simple as so many factors are in play.

However, in the last two years we have seen the benefits of state intervention as the furlough scheme and coronavirus-related grants have been a lifeline for many. We’re aware that the government, post-Covid, is hardly flush with money but a problem that could tip 6m households over the edge cannot be ignored. Support must be made available for the most needy as a matter of priority. Nothing less will do.