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| Version 85 | Version 86 |
|---|---|
| Energy price guarantee: What help is there for gas and electricity bills? | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Energy bills for a typical household in Britain will remain at £2,500 until the end of June, the government has announced. They had been due to rise to £3,000 a year from April. | |
| However, the £400 discount on bills which most households received this winter will not continue beyond March. | |
| What are the energy price guarantee and energy price cap? | |
| When prices soared after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government announced a limit on the amount households could be charged for each unit of energy they use. | |
| This energy price guarantee means bills for a typical household for gas and electricity are about £2,500 per year. | |
| That maximum limit had been scheduled to rise to £3,000 a year from April, but the government has announced that it will continue at the same level for the next three months. | |
| The guarantee is scheduled to be in place until April 2024. | |
| Prices will then be controlled by the return of the energy price cap, which is set every three months by Ofgem, the energy industry regulator. | |
| It confirms the maximum price suppliers can charge households per unit of energy on a standard - or default - tariff in normal circumstances. | |
| Five tips for cutting energy costs this winter | |
| What if I'm on on a prepayment meter? | |
| As well as an extension to the energy price guarantee, the government also promised to bring prepayment energy charges in line with those for direct debit customers. | |
| This should save households about £45 a year on their energy bills from July. | |
| Call for customer evidence in energy meter review | |
| Do I live in a typical household? | Do I live in a typical household? |
| The calculations for a typical household are based on a direct debit customer using 12,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) of gas and 2,900 kWh of electricity a year. | |
| A kilowatt hour is a unit of energy used to calculate your bill. | A kilowatt hour is a unit of energy used to calculate your bill. |
| However, most households aren't typical. | However, most households aren't typical. |
| Bills are based on how much energy you actually use, which depends on the number of people, the type of property and its energy efficiency. | Bills are based on how much energy you actually use, which depends on the number of people, the type of property and its energy efficiency. |
| What extra support will be available? | What extra support will be available? |
| The government has already announced that some groups across the UK will receive further help from April: | |
| £900 to households on means-tested benefits - paid in three instalments in spring, autumn and spring 2024 | £900 to households on means-tested benefits - paid in three instalments in spring, autumn and spring 2024 |
| £300 for pensioner households | £300 for pensioner households |
| £150 to people on certain disability benefits | £150 to people on certain disability benefits |
| What help is the government providing with energy bills? | What help is the government providing with energy bills? |
| When will energy prices come down? | When will energy prices come down? |
| In recent months global energy prices have been falling, and experts predict cheaper prices for households later this year. | In recent months global energy prices have been falling, and experts predict cheaper prices for households later this year. |
| Analysts at Cornwall Insight think Ofgem's energy price cap will fall to £2,153 in July, and remain close to that level for the rest of the year. | |
| That would make the government's energy price guarantee redundant by July. | That would make the government's energy price guarantee redundant by July. |
| Cornwall Insight says at this point households might once again be able to shop around for more competitive energy deals. | |
| What else is being done to reduce bills? | |
| A scheme running between November and March rewards households and businesses using less peak-time electricity. | A scheme running between November and March rewards households and businesses using less peak-time electricity. |
| Customers need a smart meter to take part. | |
| People who don't use use high-energy appliances such as washing machines during a set hour of each test day will get up to £3 per kilowatt hour off their bill. | People who don't use use high-energy appliances such as washing machines during a set hour of each test day will get up to £3 per kilowatt hour off their bill. |
| What help are businesses getting? | What help are businesses getting? |
| Under the energy bill relief scheme: | Under the energy bill relief scheme: |
| businesses get a discount based on a "government supported price" of 21.1p per kWh for electricity and 7.5p per KWh for gas | businesses get a discount based on a "government supported price" of 21.1p per kWh for electricity and 7.5p per KWh for gas |
| organisations on fixed price contracts are eligible if their deal started after 1 April 2022 | organisations on fixed price contracts are eligible if their deal started after 1 April 2022 |
| those on variable tariffs receive an automatic discount for each unit of energy used | those on variable tariffs receive an automatic discount for each unit of energy used |
| the savings began to appear in November's bills (backdated to October) and are automatic | the savings began to appear in November's bills (backdated to October) and are automatic |
| The scheme applies to all non-domestic energy customers in England, Scotland and Wales, with a parallel scheme in Northern Ireland. | The scheme applies to all non-domestic energy customers in England, Scotland and Wales, with a parallel scheme in Northern Ireland. |
| Unlike domestic customers, businesses were only promised help for six months until March 2023. | Unlike domestic customers, businesses were only promised help for six months until March 2023. |
| Support for firms after this will be much less generous. | Support for firms after this will be much less generous. |
| Under a new scheme, firms will get a discount on wholesale prices, rather than costs being capped. | Under a new scheme, firms will get a discount on wholesale prices, rather than costs being capped. |
| Heavy energy-using sectors, like glass, ceramics and steelmakers, will get a larger discount than others. | Heavy energy-using sectors, like glass, ceramics and steelmakers, will get a larger discount than others. |
| Firms fear ‘worst to come’ over energy bills | Firms fear ‘worst to come’ over energy bills |
| What help have people already had? | What help have people already had? |
| Those in Northern Ireland are receiving a single payment of £600, more than in the rest of the UK, because of the widespread use of heating oil. | Those in Northern Ireland are receiving a single payment of £600, more than in the rest of the UK, because of the widespread use of heating oil. |
| Eight million low-income households who get certain benefits or tax credits have received £650 in two payments. | Eight million low-income households who get certain benefits or tax credits have received £650 in two payments. |
| Pensioner households got £300 and some disabled people were paid £150. | Pensioner households got £300 and some disabled people were paid £150. |
| This help was being partly funded by a temporary windfall tax on oil and gas companies. | This help was being partly funded by a temporary windfall tax on oil and gas companies. |
| Vulnerable families can also claim help through the Household Support Fund, and the Warm Home Discount scheme. | Vulnerable families can also claim help through the Household Support Fund, and the Warm Home Discount scheme. |
| What can I do if I can't pay my energy bill? | What can I do if I can't pay my energy bill? |
| Ofgem: Help with bills | Ofgem: Help with bills |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Energy customer switching | Energy customer switching |
| Ofgem | Ofgem |
| Personal finance | Personal finance |
| Energy industry | Energy industry |
| Cost of living | Cost of living |
| Oil & Gas industry | Oil & Gas industry |
| Budget 2023 |
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