There will be few people that will be unaffected by the rising costs of living - firstly in the wake of the pandemic, and now due to the escalating global effects of Russia's war against Ukraine, which is having a significant detrimental effect upon fuel prices.
I have heard from many constituents facing challenging situations. To help signpost people to specific points of contact my office and I have created an online 'cost of living support hub'.
The hub includes information on help with council tax, housing costs, how to access food banks and Government support schemes as well as how to contact voluntary organisations working across the area and further details can be found here: https://www.helengrant.org/helen-grant-mps-cost-living-help-hub
More information about cost of living payment eligibility can be found on the Government website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment.
The Government is maintaining the Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500 until June 2023, saving the average household £160 for this period. This measure will ensure that households are supported through spring when energy costs are expected to remain high and until the effects of reduced wholesale prices are expected to feed through into lower household bills later this year. Taken together, the Government is subsidising around half of household energy bills.
Regarding insulation, the Government provides support to households to improve their energy efficiency. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, and Local Authority Delivery schemes will deliver energy efficiency upgrades to around half a million homes.
Regarding renewable energy sources, I welcome that the UK’s renewable capacity is up 500 per cent since 2010. However, in recognition that more must be done, the Government is accelerating renewables with annual Contract for Difference auctions. I want to be clear that the more cheap, clean power we generate here in the UK, the less exposed we will be to global gas markets.
The Government has also launched the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements. It considers a range of enduring reforms, including ways of increasing investment in low-carbon capacity; making gas-fired generation the price-setter for electricity less often; and reforms to the wholesale market so that volatile gas prices do not set the price of cheaper renewables, which could have the effect of decoupling gas and electricity prices.
