Energy bill cap will 'ease pressure on families'

The authorities volition widen the Energy Price Guarantee astatine existent levels for a further 3 months successful Wednesday's Budget, arsenic it seeks to boost growth.

Typical household vigor bills had been owed to emergence to £3,000 a twelvemonth from April, but alternatively the headdress volition beryllium kept astatine £2,500 until the extremity of June.

The chancellor is owed to acceptable retired a broader program aboriginal to turn the economy.

UK economical maturation has flatlined successful caller months and the Bank of England expects a recession to commencement this year.

The authorities has been limiting vigor bills for a emblematic household to £2,500 a year, positive a £400 wintertime discount.

That assistance was acceptable to beryllium scaled backmost from 1 April, and the £400 discount is besides coming to an end. Many had warned this would heap hardship connected families already struggling with the outgo of living.

However, campaigners had urged the authorities to alteration course, pointing retired that falling wholesale vigor prices person sharply chopped the outgo of offering support.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: "High vigor bills are 1 of the biggest worries for families, which is wherefore we're maintaining the Energy Price Guarantee astatine its existent level.

"With vigor bills acceptable to autumn from July onwards, this impermanent alteration volition span the spread and easiness the unit connected families, portion besides helping to little ostentation too."