Martin Lewis says government must double energy bill help for poorest
Ministers will need to at least double the amount of support given last time to help protect the poorest households from rising energy bills, the consumer rights campaigner Martin Lewis has said.
In February, the then chancellor, Rishi Sunak, now vying for the Conservative party leadership, announced that eligible UK households would receive a £400 discount to help with energy bills from October.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lewis said: “We’ve heard mutterings from the Rishi Sunak camp that he would increase the previous handouts that were given … but if he were to be consistent he would have to essentially double every number in that package.
“He will effectively need, if he wants to make this work, to double the numbers, especially for the poorest.”
The education secretary, James Cleverly, confirmed that crisis talks to “knock some heads together” would take place between energy sector bosses and the government this week.
The chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, and the business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, will ask gas and electricity company executives to submit a breakdown of expected profits and payouts as well as investment plans for the next three years.
Lewis also criticised proposals from the other Tory leadership contender, Liz Truss, which focused on tax cuts as a way of helping the poorest households. Truss has appeared reluctant to offer further assistance for people to pay their energy bills aside from the tax cuts she has proposed, saying she does not favour “handouts”.
Lewis said: “With the Liz Truss case, tax cuts will not help the millions of the poorest in society who are making the choice between heating and eating. That just will not help them because they don’t pay tax.
“Tax cuts are not going to help
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