Labour’s energy price freeze would save elderly 26p in every pound of their pension
Labour’s energy price freeze would save elderly people living alone 26p in every pound they get in pension.
But if the new cap goes ahead in October three in four single pensioners struggling to get by on £141.85 a week will be thrown into fuel poverty.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Right now millions of people won’t be able to afford to turn the heating on at all.
“I’ll never forget the woman I spoke to in my Leeds West constituency who had freezing hands and purple fingers because her pension wasn’t enough to pay for heating.
“Instead of putting their fingers in their ears ministers should bring back Parliament so we can freeze the cap.”
Ms Reeves is calling for MPs to return from their holidays tomorrow (mon) two weeks earlier than planned to pass the necessary legislation.
No10 would not comment on that proposal yesterday.
It comes as consultancy Auxilione yesterday predicted the price cap will reach £3,576 in October and rise to £4,799 in January before hitting £6,089 in April.
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The cap currently stands at £1,971 for the average household.
That means two in three UK families could be in fuel poverty by the New Year as an estimated 45 million people face being unable to pay bills this winter.
The typical household will save £1,000 from Labour ’s freeze going up to £1,300 for those on prepayment meters.
Labour analysis shows pensioners would be better off by £1,020 and still get the £300 of existing support.
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‘We are in the midst of a national emergency. But this zombie government is absent’
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by Rachel Reeves, shadow Chancellor
Across Britain, people are having to make unthinkable choices.
Prices are soaring and people are having to cut back on essentials as they struggle to pay their bills.
What’s coming down the track this winter is causing endless worry for households and for businesses.
We are in the midst of a national emergency. But this zombie government is absent.
Instead, it’s been Labour setting out fully-funded plans that would stop your bills going up.
Now, the Tories must end the delay and bring back Parliament early to put those plans into action.
By returning two weeks earlier than planned, we can stop bills rising and ensure families stop worrying.
Alongside our long term plan for our energy security, Labour’s plan to freeze the price cap is fully-costed and will save the average household £1,000.
Not only that, but tod
ay we reveal that it would save a pensioner living alone 26p for every £1 of their pension they receive this winter.
But without action three out of four of single pensioners could fall into fuel poverty.
It follows revelations this week that two-thirds of UK families could be in fuel poverty by January, and that an estimated 45 million people will struggle to pay energy bills this winter with predicted rises in the price cap.
That is shocking. We cannot wait to act.
On Friday Ofgem will announce how much your energy bill is going to go up.
Against the backdrop of yet another rise in inflation, this will send households into a further spiral of worry, pushing them to cut back even further ahead of the winter.
It will also create another shock for our economy.
Families deserve a government that is on their side, and is ready to take the action needed now to meet the scale of this national emergency.
Any more dither and delay from the Tories is simply wrong. It will hurt households.
By refusing to get into gear, the Government is choosing to protect the profits of oil and gas firms with booming profits over people struggling with their bills.
That is why Labour are urging the Prime Minister and both Tory leadership candidates to urgently adopt Labour’s plan: freeze the price cap now, and get Parliament back early to take action.
There is no more time to waste.
