Category Archives: Household bills

Martin Lewis says energy price cap is a ‘pants cap’

Posted on by

Consumer champion urges consumers to head to a price comparison website to find a cheaper deal

The consumer champion Martin Lewis has said that the energy price cap should be called the energy “pants cap” because there are much cheaper energy deals available.

The cap is adjusted every quarter by Ofgem, the energy regulator for Great Britain, and imposes a maximum on how much suppliers can charge customers for each unit of gas and electricity. On Tuesday it increased by nearly £150 to the equivalent of £1,717 a year for an average dual-fuel household paying by direct debit.

Continue reading...

Small firms face near-30% rise in water bills, Ofwat letter reveals

Posted on by

Businesses in England and Wales say they are paying for ‘historic errors’ by water suppliers

Small businesses have accused water suppliers of saddling them with the cost of “historic errors” made by bosses in the scandal-hit industry, as it emerged their bills will rise nearly 30% by 2030.

The water industry regulator, Ofwat, has told businesses that it expects average wholesale charges for non-household customers – which include small firms, charities and hospitals – to increase by about 27% before inflation over the next five years, outstripping the anticipated rise in household bills.

Continue reading...

Winter fuel cut savings will be far less than Reeves expected, new analysis finds

Posted on by

A surge in claims for pension credit will make thousands more people eligible for the payments and other benefits

Rachel Reeves has been warned that her cut to pensioner winter fuel payments risks saving hundreds of millions less than anticipated, in a new blow to her attempts to close the hole in Britain’s finances.

The chancellor and her Treasury team are already re-examining parts of a plan to crack down on non-dom tax status over concerns that it may not raise any money.

Continue reading...

Winter fuel: thousands more could lose benefit if it becomes means tested, data suggests

Posted on by

A further 175,000 pensioners are likely to stop receiving allowance under such plans, official figures show

A further 175,000 pensioners could lose the winter fuel allowance if the benefit becomes means tested, data suggests.

About 11.6 million people in the UK received the benefit last winter, an increase of 214,000 on the previous year, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The overwhelming majority are to have this removed this winter under plans announced by the Labour government to cut spending on the benefit.

Continue reading...

‘We’ll get the blame’: tensions simmer within Labour over winter fuel cut

Posted on by

While Commons rebellion was small-scale, behind the scenes, anger over handling of the policy is said to run high

In the end, the vote to cut the winter fuel allowance passed easily. Hundreds of loyalist Labour MPs tramped through the lobbies to back the government’s controversial plan. No 10 will hope the heat has gone out of the issue.

But despite dodging a major rebellion, plenty in government were not taking much comfort from the result. Scores of MPs abstained in silent protest, fearful that they could be condemning vulnerable pensioners to a cold, hard winter.

Continue reading...

Thames Water lobbied Whitehall to press Ofwat on allowing higher bills

Posted on by

Exclusive: Debt-ridden company also warned officials of ‘chilling effect’ of any renationalisation

Thames Water has lobbied the government to intervene with the regulator to allow it to charge far higher bills, the Guardian can reveal.

Advisers and board members of the beleaguered water company are understood to have met Whitehall officials in recent weeks to say that allowing it to be temporarily renationalised would have a “chilling effect” on the entire UK’s appeal to international investors, sources familiar with the discussions told the Guardian.

Continue reading...

Support planned for UK households struggling with winter energy bills

Posted on by

Government discusses measures after criticism over cuts to winter fuel payments

Ministers have committed to help households struggling with their gas and electricity bills this winter after energy industry bosses warned that consumer debt had climbed to more than £3bn.

With Labour under fire for scrapping universal winter fuel payments to pensioners, ministers met energy industry bosses on Wednesday to discuss ways of supporting struggling households through the coming colder months.

Continue reading...

Thames Water says without steep bill increase it’s ‘neither financeable nor investible’

Posted on by

Debt-laden company tells Ofwat if it cannot charge customers 59% more, it ‘would prevent company turnaround and recovery’

Thames Water has said it will be unable to recover from its funding crisis if it is blocked from charging customers significantly more, as it proposed to pile an extra £228 a year on to household bills.

The debt-laden company said the increase to bills that has been proposed by the industry regulator, Ofwat, leaves its activities “neither financeable nor investible”.

Continue reading...

Keir Starmer warns of tough times ahead to fix ‘Tory ruins’

Posted on by

Labour leader tells working people rot left by Conservatives is so much worse than imagined and improvement won’t happen overnight

British people will have to endure even worse economic and social ­pressures in the months to come as the Labour government takes “unpopular decisions” to rebuild the country from “rubble and ruin” left by the Tories, Keir Starmer will warn this week.

With the prime minister under mounting pressure from within his own party to help people struggling with rising fuel payments and millions of families in poverty, Starmer will strike a defiant note against those demanding U-turns from his ministers, saying “tough choices” will have to be made before any recovery is possible.

Continue reading...

Which benefits are available to vulnerable people under Labour?

Posted on by

As the winter fuel allowance is scrapped for many pensioners, we outline some other key benefits

• Millions facing ‘cruel winter’ without fuel payments, Labour MPs warn

Labour backbenchers are warning that millions of vulnerable people will face a “cruel winter” amid rising energy prices and a reduction in benefits, including the removal of winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.

Keir Starmer’s government has promised to improve conditions for those most in need, with a commitment to “reduce and alleviate” child poverty and end the “moral scar” of food banks. And while Labour sees economic growth and creating more reliable and well-paid jobs as crucial to achieving these aims, it cannot ignore a number of pressing and often interrelated problems in the social security and benefits system.

Continue reading...

Millions facing ‘cruel winter’ without fuel payments, Labour MPs warn

Posted on by

Backbenchers say end to support schemes would be ‘wrong measure’ that ignores struggle of poorest households

• Which benefits are available to vulnerable people?

Millions of vulnerable people face a “cruel winter” owing to a combination of rising energy costs and government cuts to welfare schemes, Labour MPs and campaigners have warned, as Keir Starmer comes under pressure to extend key financial support programmes.

Labour backbenchers are calling on the prime minister to reverse or mitigate the government’s decision to end winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners and to extend the household support fund (HSF), which is due to run out in September.

Continue reading...

Average annual energy bill to rise by 9.5% to £1,717 in Great Britain from October

Posted on by

Campaigners fear increase by £149 in energy price cap by Ofgem will put more pressure on households

Households will begin the run-up to winter with a sharp increase in their energy bills after the industry regulator increased its cap on energy prices by 9.5% from October.

Under the new price cap, the average annual energy bill will rise to £1,717 a year for gas and electricity, up £149 from its current level of £1,568, which has been in place since July.

Continue reading...

Former Sunak adviser urges Labour to introduce wealth tax on housing

Posted on by

The economist behind the Covid furlough scheme has called for ‘unfair’ council tax and stamp duty to be axed

Council tax and stamp duty are “unfair and unpopular” taxes that should be abolished, says the economist who devised the Covid furlough scheme.

Tim Leunig, who has advised a series of cabinet ministers, including Rishi Sunak during his prime ministership, said it was time for a new and radical approach that would axe the two taxes and replace them with proportional levies.

Continue reading...

UK pensioners left on ‘financial cliff edge’ by cuts to winter fuel payments

Posted on by

New analysis shows tens of thousands of older people may end up worse off than those who retain energy benefit

Tens of thousands of pensioners are on a financial cliff edge because of the government’s decision to radically restrict winter fuel payments, a new analysis has revealed. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, opted to introduce a means test for the payments, with only those on pension credit qualifying, stating it was one of the “difficult decisions” she had to make, as she accused the Tories of leaving £22bn in unfunded commitments.

The decision removes the payments from about 10 million pensioners in England and Wales. Officials said this weekend the policy would be among a package of measures “to fix the foundations of the economy”.

Continue reading...

Southern Water boss handed £183,000 bonus despite huge rise in bills

Posted on by

Award for Lawrence Gosden comes despite criticism over business plan and attempts to increase bills by 73%

The chief executive of Southern Water has received a £183,000 bonus despite submitting a business plan that has been criticised by the industry regulator and attempting to raise bills more than any other English water company.

Lawrence Gosden received the bonus as part of a £764,000 pay package, up from £428,000 a year earlier, according to the company’s annual report.

Continue reading...

Almost a third of household smart meters not working properly, says Citizens Advice

Posted on by

Charity says tech problems and poor customer service mean millions in Great Britain missing out on promised benefits

The number of gas and electricity smart meters that are not working properly is likely to be higher than government figures suggest – possibly 20% to 30% of the total – according to research from Citizens Advice.

The charity said millions of households were missing out on the promised benefits from smart meters due to “problems with technology” and poor supplier customer service.

Continue reading...

Remote working and whiffy workout wear fuel laundry revolution

Posted on by

Home workers aim to tackle smelly athleisure clothing, save money and be kinder to the environment

For years, laundry detergents have focused their cleaning power on stain removal and getting whites white but now a new invisible enemy has emerged in the shape of the musty smell that clings to your gym gear.

The shift to remote working has fuelled the popularity of “athleisure” clothing such as T-shirts, joggers and leggings which, rather than shirts and dresses, are now the default work wardrobe of many Britons.

Continue reading...

Thames Water could raise bills to £627 a year to help fix leaks

Posted on by

Embattled water supplier promises to invest up to £3bn more over the next five years

Thames Water could raise bills to as much as £627 a year to pay to fix its leaky network, after promising to invest up to £3bn more over the next five years.

The embattled water supplier said on Monday that it had updated its spending plans for 2025 to 2030 after discussions with the industry regulator, Ofwat.

Continue reading...

Scottish Power to pay out £1.5m after overcharging 1,700 households

Posted on by

Supplier mistakenly charged direct debit customers at rate meant for those who pay when they get bills

Scottish Power is to pay £1.5m in refunds and compensation after overcharging nearly 1,700 households at the height of the energy crisis and in previous years, paying out an average of £294 to each customer.

The energy regulator, Ofgem, said it agreed the redress package with the supplier after it confirmed that, between 2015 and 2023, it mistakenly charged 1,699 direct debit customers at a higher rate that should only apply to those who pay when they receive their bill.

Continue reading...

Only 1,500 people compensated so far over prepayment meters, Ofgem says

Posted on by

Regulator says energy firms planning payments for another 1,000 customers after reviewing 150,000 forced installations

Only 1,500 people have been compensated by energy companies for the forced installation of prepayment meters over the past year, figures show.

The energy regulator, Ofgem, said that initial information from gas and electricity suppliers showed that 1,502 customers had received compensation totalling £342,450.

Continue reading...