Wakefield Lib Dems call on government to stop October's energy price cap rise

Coun Tom Gordon has accused the Conservatives of “stalling in the face of a national emergency”.

The bold plan would save a typical household in Wakefield District an extra £1559.51 a year. The 70% increase in the energy price cap expected to be announced by Ofgem later this month would be cancelled, with the Government instead paying the shortfall to energy suppliers so that they can afford to supply customers at the current rates.

This would mean a total estimated saving for households in the Wakefield area of £240,151,746 off their electricity and gas bills.

The Liberal Democrats say the estimated £36 billion cost should be met by expanding the windfall tax on oil and gas company profits, and using the Government’s higher-than-expected VAT revenues as a result of soaring inflation.

The party is also calling for more targeted support for vulnerable and low income households. This would include doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300 and extending it to all those on Universal Credit and Pension Credit, while investing in insulating fuel poor homes to bring prices down in the long term.

Coun Gordon said: “Hard-working families across Wakefield and the Five Towns are already struggling to make ends meet, and are deeply concerned about how they will cope with the predicted rise in energy bills.

“This Conservative Government is stalling in the face of a national emergency and, yet again, is simply not doing enough to put money back in the pockets of hard-working people.

“Countless families and pensioners across our area are already struggling, and they cannot wait for a new Conservative leader to act.

“This is an emergency, and the Government must step in now to help families and pensioners in Wakefield by cancelling the planned rise in energy bills this October.”

The price cap is currently £1,971 a year for a typical household. It went up by £693 (54%) in April and the new cap is expected to be around £3,400 – an increase of around £1,400 or 70%. Cancelling the rise would mean the energy bill for a typical household stays at £1,971 a year, instead of rising to around £3,400 in October.