Cancel October energy price rise to save families in Sunderland £1,787.57 a year: Lib Dems

Wearside's Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to spare families from soaring energy bills by cancelling October's price cap increase, keeping the cap for a typical British household at £1,971 a year instead of rising to over £3,400 in October.

The bold plan would save a typical household in the Sunderland City Council area an extra £1,787.57 a year from gas and electric bills.

The 70% increase in the energy price cap expected to be announced by Ofgem later this month would be cancelled, with the Government instead paying the shortfall to energy suppliers so that they can afford to supply customers at the current rates.

The Liberal Democrats say the estimated £36 billion cost should be met by expanding the windfall tax on oil and gas company profits, and using the Government's higher-than-expected VAT revenues as a result of soaring inflation.

This would mean a total estimated saving for households in Sunderland, Washington, Houghton and Hetton of £225,136,502 off electricity and gas bills.

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Fulwell and Seaburn Malcolm Bond said:

"Too many people in Sunderland are already struggling to make ends meet, and are having sleepless nights about how they will cope with the predicted rise in energy bills.

"This Conservative Government is stalling in the face of a national emergency, while Labour have no plan at all to deal with the cost of living emergency. Countless families and pensioners on Wearside are already struggling, and they cannot wait for a new Conservative leader to act.

"This is an emergency, and the Government must step in now to help families and pensioners in Sunderland by cancelling the planned rise in energy bills this October."