THE UK Government’s energy price guarantee must go much further to prevent more people from being plunged into poverty, the SNP have said.
SNP MP Alan Brown accused the Tories of failing to properly tackle the cost-of-living crisis with targeted support for the most vulnerable.
It comes after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the energy price guarantee will rise from £2500 to £3000 in April while the £400 home energy discount will be scrapped for 2023.
The SNP said while consumers are shielded through the UK Government’s price guarantee, their bills are still set to treble from what they were last year.
Brown said: “While the UK Government’s feeble price guarantee may initially shield consumers from the rising energy price cap, the reality is that it will be households that will be forced to pay a heavy price through borrowing to subsidise the guarantee and tax rises.
“Having taken a sledgehammer to the economy, the Tories are now allowing ordinary households to pay the harshest price of all, and face energy bills significantly larger than this time last year.
“While the support brought forward by the UK Government is welcome, it’s clear that it must go much further, and much faster to prevent people from being pushed into hardship and poverty."
Brown said the Tories have refused to bring in "serious targeted support" for those struggling the most from the cost-of-living crisis.
He continued: "Worse, their energy policies do not favour renewable energy, which is much cheaper, doing further long term damage to the cost of energy.
“With businesses and households struggling to make ends meet, the reality is that Westminster is failing people right across Scotland and the UK.
"The only way to properly protect households and tackle the Tory-made cost of living crisis is with the full powers of independence.”
The UK Government has been approached for comment.
