Government must stop dithering over energy bill support for the vulnerable | Nils Pratley
Ministers should introduce a properly targeted social tariff rather than tinker with the warm homes discount
After the hopeful good vibes in Liverpool, here comes a reminder of what is coming this winter: a mighty new year shock in energy bills, hitting the poorest hardest, that the government looks unprepared for.
From the quarterly price cap level of £1,723 that will apply from Thursday for an average dual-fuel household, take your pick from a range of forecasts for the first three months of 2027. The energy consultancy Cornwall Insight says £1,999. The big supplier EDF thinks £2,076. Split the difference and we’re talking about an 18% quarter-on-quarter rise in the unit rate at the worst time of the year, the months of peak consumption.
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