New calls for £67 monthly energy bill rebate this winter gains support from more than 3,200 people
13.09.2023 - 10:25
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
An online petition is calling on the UK Government to reintroduce the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme for winter 2023/24 to help households through the colder months during the ongoing cost of living crisis. Some 28 million households received a £66/£67 monthly discount on their energy bills between October 2022 and March 2023, under the scheme.
Ofgem recently announced it is lowering the energy price cap by £151 from the current £2,074 per year to £1,923 for millions of households across Scotland, England and Wales. The energy regulator confirmed that the change will come into effect on October 1 and be in place until the end of December.
The slight drop will benefit households on a standard tariff with typical usage, however, it’s important to remember that the price cap doesn’t relate to a cap on the amount of money people will pay for using gas or electricity. The cap limits the amount that a supplier can charge per unit of gas or electricity they sell, which means if you use more, you’ll pay more, similarly, use less and you will pay less.
From October 1, the price that a supplier could charge for gas will drop from 6.9p per kilowatt hour (kWh) to 6.89p, while the price of electricity will fall from 30.1p per kWh to 27.35p.
The price cap of £1,923 is for those paying energy bills by Direct Debit, for those on a prepayment meter, it will be £1,949.
However, petition creator, William Conway, believes that many households will still face a choice between heating and eating this winter.
The ‘Reintroduce the Energy Bills Support Scheme for winter 2023/24 ’ petition has been posted on the official petitions-parliament website and states: “Although energy prices are decreasing, they still remain well above normal levels. I