Almost three million more households, including 220,000 more in Scotland, will get support to pay their energy bills next winter, as the UK Government consults on proposals to offer more support to consumers across the country.
Due to global gas price spikes this winter and the continued impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the energy regulator Ofgem has announced an increase in the energy price cap for April-June 2025.
This price is set independently of the government, reflecting changes in wholesale prices and global markets. In response, Labour is acting to protect families in East Lothian and across the country by bringing forward plans to expand the Warm Home Discount, giving eligible households £150 off their energy bills.
This would bring a total of nearly 2.7 million households into the scheme across the country – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to an estimated 6.1 million.
Douglas Alexander MP said:
“This announcement will help make a real difference to families in my constituency who are struggling to pay their energy bills. Labour is determined to secure our energy system, protect it from the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets and give working people the security they deserve.
“Through our mission for making the UK a clean energy superpower, and the support announced today, this Labour government is putting money back in the pockets of working people.”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
“Labour is determined to do everything we can to protect families from the grip of fossil fuel markets. Expanding the Warm Home Discount can help protect millions of families from rising energy bills, offering support to consumers across the country.
“This Labour Government will always stand up for working people. Through our clean power mission we are determined to deliver energy security and bring down bills for good, with homegrown clean power that we in Britain control.”
Labour is also accelerating proposals to introduce a debt relief scheme, which would target unsustainable debt built up by households during the energy crisis. This would help to cut the costs of servicing bad debt, which currently contributes to higher bills for all billpayers. Under these plans, the target would be to reduce the debt allowance to pre-crisis levels, with Ofgem estimating that these plans could lower these costs by £25-30 per year.