Industry urged government to freeze energy bills in April

The rate of the government’s Energy Price Guarantee is set to be less generous from 1st April

UK households are bracing for a hike to their energy bills in April.

While Ofgem is expected to unveil on Monday the new energy price cap that will come into play from 1st April, the government’s energy bill support will be reduced as the protection level through the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) will rise to £3,000.

This means that the expected increase of more than £500 will be put onto customers.

Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive of Energy UK said: “I think this it’s essential that that support stays in place.

“When I look at not just the prepayment issue but vulnerability more widely, we can see 12 million, that’s over 40% of our households, paying more than 10% of their disposable household income on a bill.

“The National Audit Office came out just last week and said that the government has saved over £70 billion against what they expected to spend on energy bill support and we know that that’s had a knock-on effect on inflation.

“People will not be able to afford bills that are over £3,000, which they will be if we don’t continue to keep this EPG in place.”

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