Energy bosses in action call over rocketing bills
Up to four in 10 people in Britain could fall into fuel poverty in the autumn, energy bosses have warned as they called for more support for vulnerable households.
Scottish Power’s chief executive, Keith Anderson, said the Government should take £1,000 off the bills of the poorest people in the country in October, with either the Treasury or billpayers paying this off over 10 years.
Mr Anderson explained: “The problem has now got to the size and scale that it requires something significant of that nature where those billpayers who are deemed to be in fuel poverty or are vulnerable need something of the size and scale that puts their bills back to where they used to be before this gas crisis."
Mr Anderson was speaking to MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee.
Mr Anderson also said it was "perverse" that customers with prepayment meters – who are likely to be more vulnerable – pay more for their energy than those who pay by direct debit.
E.ON UK chief executive Michael Lewis said between 30% and 40% of people in Britain might go into fuel poverty from October when the price cap is likely to rise significantly again.
At the start of April the price of energy soared by around 54% but meanwhile the weather is getting warmer, so consumption is likely to drop.
Those people who are paying their energy bill by direct debit are set to see prices go up this summer to build up credit for the winter, but prepayment customers will not do that so will see an even bigger rise in October.