Energy suppliers will spend £500m helping customers with their energy bills this winter, after the government helped broker a deal involving 12 of the biggest companies in the UK. Suppliers will spend the money in a variety of ways, including putting credit on some customers’ bills, writing off the debts of others and putting credit on prepayment meters, sources told the Guardian. – Guardian

London open The FTSE 100 is expected to open 39 points higher on Thursday, having closed down 0.17% on Wednesday at 8,085.07.