Claire Young: Save families in South Gloucestershire from £500 energy bill rise in April

Cllr Claire Young, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on South Gloucestershire Council, is demanding the Government cancel plans to hike the average household energy bill by £500 in April, and bring in a tax on the “bonanza bonuses” of oil and gas bosses.

The party is calling for cuts to people's bills instead, combined with a new energy support package for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals across South Gloucestershire. 

In April the Conservatives are planning to hike the energy price guarantee by £500. 

The Liberal Democrats plans would mean that in South Gloucestershire the average household would be £275 better off. In total South Gloucestershire would save a huge £34 million.

South Gloucestershire’s Lib Dems have said new price hikes now will be a “hammer blow” to families and businesses already struggling and that action is needed now to save people from a “cost of living cliff-edge.”

Nationally, the Liberal Democrats have set out their plan to tackle the energy crisis including: 

1. A windfall tax on oil and gas companies to raise billions of pounds

2. A cancellation of the Governments £500 energy bill rise in April 

3. A one-off bonus tax on oil and gas executives

4. Doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300.

5. A U-turn on plans to slash energy bill support for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals by 85%, and instead extend current levels of support for another six months.

Cllr Young, said: 

“The Conservatives’ plan to hike energy bills in April will come as a hammer blow to families in South Gloucestershire already struggling with soaring mortgages and rents, shopping bills and tax rises. 

“With no plan to deal with this cost of living crisis for people or businesses, this chaotic, out-of-touch Government is instead making it much worse because they just don’t get it.

“People need real support and that’s what the Liberal Democrats are calling for. Sadly, to add insult to injury Rishi Sunak is happy for energy bosses to rake in millions of pounds in bonanza bonuses, while families struggle to put food on the table or heat their homes."

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey added:

“Rishi Sunak must act now to save families from a cost-of-living cliff edge, by cutting energy bills instead of increasing them. People deserve a fair deal - with a large cut to their energy bills, paid for by a proper windfall tax and a one-off levy on the bonuses of oil and gas bosses.”

Image credit: Herman (Flickr)