The government has hinted at extra cost-of-living support in next week’s Budget.<\/p>\n
One option said to be under consideration is removing VAT from energy bills, which would cut about \u00a380 from annual bills.<\/p>\n
Dr Lowrey said any support would be “zero-sum” as “these costs will still need to be recovered, whether through bills or through taxes, as the pipes, wires, and networks that keep the lights on still need investment as we move to a cleaner, more secure energy system”.<\/p>\n
Energy Minister Martin McCluskey said energy bills “remain too high”, but that the government was taking action, with “millions more families receiving \u00a3150 off their bills through the expanded Warm Home Discount scheme”.<\/p>\n
But the Conservatives said Labour’s net zero policies were “making energy unaffordable”.<\/p>\n
Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho said: “Ed Miliband promised to cut everyone’s energy bills by \u00a3300 but more and more experts are sounding the alarm that his plans will lock us into paying higher bills for decades.”<\/p>\n