22 experts and leaders can see what the Tories can’t – that we need energy bills help

Pressure is piling on the Government to back a £100billion plan to freeze household energy bills for up to two years.

Industry chiefs are urging ministers to agree an emergency scheme to offset rocketing energy bills.

It comes amid warnings that, without urgent action, households face a “truly horrific” wave of energy price hikes that threaten to plunge millions more into fuel poverty.

The Treasury is believed to be considering a taxpayer-backed energy fund as part of an unprecedented package of measures.

But big decisions have been delayed by the Tory leadership battle between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, with the winner not announced until September 5.

Here, experts and leaders explain why we need help with our energy bills.

Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party told the Mirror: “Families and businesses across the country are facing ruinous energy bills. Working people will be forced into debt and more children will grow up in poverty. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

“Labour has a fully-costed plan to tackle the cost-of-living crisis that will ensure you don’t pay a penny more on your bills this winter. Freezing energy bills will save households £1,000.

“Politicians have a choice: either be on the side of working people by backing Labour’s plan or be on the side of oil and gas giants, who are making record profits from this crisis. It’s not too late for the Government to change course: support millions of families by following Labour and freezing bills this winter.”

Leader of the Liberal DemocratsEd Davey told the Mirror: “We are on the brink of the biggest poverty crisis in almost a century, there is no other option the energy price rise must be scrapped.

“If the Conservatives refuse to take action they will be responsible for millions of families going cold and hungry this winter, and they will never be forgiven.”

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady told the Mirror: “Up and down the country millions of families are being pushed to the brink by low pay and soaring bills. They need urgent help. Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak must wake up to the crisis.

“They must cancel the catastrophic rise to energy bills this autumn. And they should increase the minimum wage and universal credit this October to help with rising prices and winter bills.”

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “The scale of the Government’s response needs to match the scale of the crisis we are facing. We are fast approaching a national emergency which will leave millions of people struggling to afford the very basics in life such as food and warmth.

“Older people are telling us how frightened they feel about the coming winter – they want urgent reassurance from the Government that help is on its way. Unless a substantial new financial package is put in place quickly, we could see unprecedented numbers of older people dying from the effects of the cold this winter – an appalling prospect in the 21st Century.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “I’m urgently calling on the Government to bridge the gap and help families survive through the cost-of-living crisis.”

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said: “Without an immediate, decisive intervention from this government, more than half of the UK households are about to be plunged into fuel poverty.”

Gordon Brown, writing for the Mirror, issued a plea for “urgent measures” to cover further rises in fuel bills amid “millions standing on the edge of a financial precipice”.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Ministers must act now to help prevent this cost of living crisis becoming a national disaster.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “There is no more urgent challenge facing us right now than the cost-of-living crisis.”

Octopus chief executive Greg Jackson this week called for the price cap to be frozen at “roughly where it is” at £1,971 per year. “The big thing here is we need more help for customers from the government.”

Centrica called for “significant intervention” to protect customers from soaring prices. A spokesman said earlier this month: “It’s clear a significant intervention is needed to protect customers.”

Utilita Energy’s boss Bill Bullen has called for the government to freeze the energy price cap to help support millions of households and firms this winter.

Nick Butler, a former BP vice-president, said last week the government and industry needed to take further action to help struggling families, such as ending “pernicious extra charges imposed for those using pre-payment metres”.

Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said the government needs to offer a similar level of support to households as it did to businesses during the pandemic.

“We need £40 billion to get through this winter – that’s 10% of what was spent during the pandemic”, he told BBC Radio 4. “That’s the only thing that will really sort this problem out.”

Tom Marsland, policy manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: “This support from government for disabled people isn’t going to touch the sides in the face of energy bills predicted to reach more than £4,000 a year by January.”

Paul Kissack, chief executive at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: “The nation faces another national emergency now, and people rightly expect the Government to act to offer protection.”

Dan Paskins, director of UK impact at Save the Children, said: “When energy bills rocket in the Autumn, families who already have it tough are going to find things even harder. ”

Michael Clarke, of poverty charity Turn2us, said: “As a country, we must ask ourselves how many more of us need to fall into crisis before we’re given sufficient support to weather this storm?”

Ruth London, a representative from Fuel Poverty Action, said: “Energy bills are reaching levels that are simply unpayable.”

Richard Neudegg, director of regulation at Uswitch said: “Households need clarity to help them plan for the most expensive winter in living memory.”

Craig Lowrey, principal consultant at energy analysts Cornwall Insight, said pledged Government support payments will “only scratch the surface of this problem.”

Sara Willcocks, at national poverty charity Turn2Us, said: “Intervention is urgently needed to catch people before they are plunged into crisis in the coming months.

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