Labour breaks silence over Ofgem energy price cap rise coming in January

The government has broken its silence on the Ofgem price cap hike coming in January. The energy regulator Ofgem said its quarterly price cap would go up by £21 a year, or about £1.75 a month, for a typical household’s gas and electricity use.

A Labour Party spokesperson has blame the previous government for the rise in energy bills inked in for January, saying: “The Conservatives trashed Britain’s energy security by leaving us exposed to global shocks and working people are still paying the price. From banning onshore wind to failing to deliver new nuclear, their reckless decisions sent bills soaring.

“Labour is fixing the mess the Conservatives created, with our clean energy mission that will protect consumers and boost our energy security.” As temperatures across Britain plummet, a fourth winter of the energy bills now crisis looms large in people’s minds, says Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition.

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Francis says it is “vital” that ministers bring in more support for vulnerable households, explaining: “The decision to introduce a price cap change in the middle of winter was taken by Ofgem in 2022 and was described as an inhumane policy at the time. No wonder it has been opposed by campaigners ever since as households will have to find more money to keep themselves warm at the worst possible time.

“Already the average household will have paid over £2,500 extra for their energy than had we not been so exposed to volatile energy markets. To make matters worse, the new Government has cut back the levels of support available to some of the most at-risk elderly households.

“While we welcome the Government’s long term plans to boost home energy efficiency to bring down bills and to improve energy security by stabilising prices, these reforms will take time to take effect and will be no comfort to those struggling this winter.

“That’s why it is so vital the ministers bring in more support for vulnerable households this winter and speed up plans to bring in a social tariff for next winter - a move that is backed by the vast majority of voters.”