Energy crisis 'biggest price shock we've had' says charity chief
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Millions of households are feeling the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis, with higher taxes, soaring energy bills and the rising cost of food and petrol dealing a blow to the nation’s finances. Energy bills surged to £2000 in April in a 50 percent increase after industry regulator Ofgem announced the price cap (maximum tariff) rise, which could even soar to £3000 in October. Now, a UK poll has revealed that one in four (26 percent) of respondents have had to go without heating all day instead of forking out the extra funds to heat their homes.
And a staggering seventy percent have made day-to-day changes to their lives because of the cost-of-living crisis.
The poll by The Mail on Sunday also revealed that almost half of participants in the survey have cut back on electricity use.
And nearly a thrid have been buying less food as the nation grapples with tighter budgets.
In another independent study by refurbished mobile phone provider Swycha, it was revealed that almost three quarters (70 percent) of UK parents stated rising gas and electricity prices are impacting their ability to raise their children as usual.
While the Government has come up with a strategy that it claims can help to curb the rising bills, it appears it has a mountain to climb in convincing the public.
Up to 59 percent of people say its response to the crisis has made them feel “less favourable” towards Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Government.
Mr Johnson’s “long-term plan” to drive down bills focused on energy supply lays out how the UK can boost energy independence.
It involves ramping up renewable technologies like wind, solar and hydrogen, as well as a huge boost to Britain’s nuclear capacity.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also announced that £150 council tax rebates would be dished out to homes in bands A to D.
He is also offering a £200 discount on bills.
This loan scheme is expected to cost around £5billion to £6illion, despite the energy industry demanding a £20billion injection to help ease bills.
Labour has also hit out at the Conservatives strategy for coming out “too little, too late” as households continue to struggle.
Ecotricity boss Dale Vince echoed this, tearing apart the Chancellor’s measures for proving “far too little, far too late” too.
And up to two-thirds of people in the Mail on Sunday poll believe Mr Sunak is responding “badly” to the cost-of-living crisis.
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Just 13 percent thought the Chancellor was coping well with the crisis.
Now, 42 percent of respondents believed that Labour would be better for the economy, compared to 34 percent believing the Conservatives to be the best.
Joe Twyman, from Deltapoll, said: “A combination of public dissatisfaction with the cost of living crisis and parties during lockdown has left the Conservatives falling some way behind Labour across a range of important measures.”
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