Scottish Power boss urges Sunak to take swift action on energy bills crisis
The boss of one of Britain’s biggest energy suppliers has warned Rishi Sunak that further government help with the cost of living crisis must be announced as soon as possible to avoid an autumn emergency for struggling families.
Keith Anderson, the chief executive of Scottish Power, said a fresh support package would be vital before a further dramatic increase in the cost of gas and electricity bills due in October, as Russia’s war in Ukraine drives up energy costs to eye-watering levels.
The government energy regulator, Ofgem, is due to announce how much its consumer energy price cap is due to go up in August, before the new limit takes effect from October for households in Great Britain. Scottish Power forecasts the price cap could reach as high as £2,900, putting further pressure on families after last month’s record increase from £1,277 to £1,971.
Warning that the government’s existing plan to deal with the increase in energy costs exacerbated by Vladimir Putin’s war fell significantly short of requirements, Anderson said immediate action was necessary to help the industry make preparations and to support families.
“You need to be in a position to name a solution in July if there’s going to be time to devise a method of implementing it in time for October. It will be monumentally complicated. The key thing here is urgency and speed,” he said.
Critics have accused Sunak of failing to act as Britain threatens to tip into recession amid rampant inflation fuelled by soaring energy bills, high petrol prices and the rising cost of the weekly shop.
Sunak announced plans in February to give 28 million households a £200 upfront discount on their bills in October, which is then to be repaid over five years. However, Anderson said
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