Everyone staring at the approaching iceberg of an energy price cap rise – which could take average annual bills to £3500 from this October – knows that Rishi Sunak’s £400 discount isn’t going to touch the sides.
With bills set to reach a staggering £500 a month in January, the £67 being knocked off direct debits to energy companies is hardly going to be noticed. For those with salaries as big as their energy bills, the discount is hardly going to matter anyway but, as usual, it is the vulnerable, the poor and the elderly who will be disadvantaged.
People on old-style pre-payment meters, who are those who usually fall into these categories, will be given vouchers to cash in instead. If prepayment meters were not stressful enough in themselves, this will lead to further confusion and anxiety, particularly for OAPs.
