StepChange Debt Charity is pleased to see that the Government is reducing the immediate financial stress facing households through an additional intervention to cap typical household energy bills at £2,500 for the next two years. However, even at these levels, energy costs are higher than many low income households will be able to afford without knock-on financial difficulties.
Richard Lane, StepChange Director of External Affairs, said:
"The relative relief that households will feel at the news that their immediate energy prices will be capped at current levels can’t mask the fact that many people are already struggling at current prices. For people managing debt, this will impact their ability to address their wider financial problems.
"We urge the Government to ensure that for targeted households with the least financial resilience – at least those in receipt of means-tested benefits – there should be no future clawback of the support offered now. Benefits should also be uprated this Autumn to help address the wider cost of living pressures that are disproportionately affecting those on low incomes."