JUST SAW THIS AND THOUGHT I WOULD LET YOU ALL KNOW.............
Every household in the UK is to get an energy bill discount of £400 this October as part of a package of new measures to tackle soaring prices.
The poorest households will also get a payment of £650 to help with the cost of living, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said.
It follows warnings that millions could be left struggling if energy prices rise again in October as expected.
Mr Sunak said he had offered "significant support" for households who were facing "acute distress".
The package of new measures, worth £15bn in total, will also offer more targeted help to pensioners and the disabled.
The cost will be partly offset by 25% windfall tax on oil and gas firms' profits, which have soared in recent months.
Earlier this week, UK energy regulator Ofgem said the typical household energy bill was set to rise by £800 in October, bringing it to £2,800 a year. Bills had already risen by £700 on average in April.
Households will still face rises in bills even with the further government support.
Hit hard'
Mr Sunak blamed the war in Ukraine, recent lockdowns in China and the post-pandemic recovery for the surging prices. But he said the situation had "evolved and become more serious" pushing the government to act.
Under the new measures, the government will scrap a plan to give everyone in England, Scotland and Wales £200 off bills from October which would be repaid over five years.
Instead, that sum will be doubled to £400 and will not need to be paid back. Direct debit and credit customers will have the money credited to their accounts, while customers with pre-payment meters will have the money applied to their meter or paid via a voucher.
While the £400 discount should be UK wide, the lack of an Executive at Stormont in Northern Ireland means people there must wait before they find out when will they receive the discount.
The measures add to around £17bn of support already given by the government, including one-off £150 council tax rebates for most homes in England and Wales.
Mr Sunak said the government had "a collective responsibility to help those who are paying the highest price for the high inflation we face."
The chancellor also announced:
Eight million households on means-tested benefits will get £650 paid directly into their bank accounts in two lump sums - one in July, the other this autumn
There will be separate one-off payments of £300 to pensioner households and £150 to individuals receiving disability benefits - groups who are "most vulnerable to rising prices"
The emergency Household Support Fund, which is allocated by councils in England, will be extended by £500m to £1.5bn. The devolved governments will receive equivalent funding.
@nabob @Pinkaholic79 💖🦄🌺 @Janet 💋🍰🍝🍹 @harryflatters @Tanith @roz @Flossy 🍰🍰🍰 @Flotson @renatew5😺🐶 @andym.aat @Paul - MenCanCleanToo @Rustyfrog @homebaker etc etc
The way I see it, what's happening at the moment, it's all out to scare us, make us panic, worry, ppl will suffer and whatever. Then all of a sudden like a magic wand, everything will fall in to place, like magic, thanks to the "new" PM. My view could be totally wrong, but for now I like to think that way.
Energy bills expected to hit £4,200 in January, according to new forecast.
Energy bills are expected to rise even further this winter than previously thought, according to the latest forecast from energy consultancy Cornwall Insight.
Bills are now expected to reach approximately £3,582 a year for the average household from October - up from the £3,359 predicted earlier this month. That compares to the price cap last October of £1,277.
From January, the amount is expected to hit £4,266 before continuing to rise in April to £4,427 - the previous forecast was for £3,729 in April.
@nabob @Pinkaholic79 💖🦄🌺 @Janet 💋🍰🍝🍹 @roz @harryflatters @Janet 💋🍰🍝🍹 @Flossy 🍰🍰🍰 etc etc
Like I said before, I shall sit on my fence and watch. There is only one good point to it all, the less bright ones won't have the chance to squander it on none essentials and junk.
Like @Pinkaholic79 💖🦄🌺 mentioned initially it was a loan to be paid back in the future. To be honest, if that is the case, I would not want that kind of loan payment. Let's hope that Boris and Rishi don't decide to do a U-turn. @Happygirl
Tbh [@Happygirl] , it never crossed my mind to put it to one side, as already had presumed it would automatically go for bills, hence why we getting it towards the bills, just like the £150 help for council tax. On the plus side we don't have to repay it back now, like the original plan.
If it will truly come to pass I will put the money safely away for the coming year. There will be a lot of people with less intelligence who will spend it on trivial things, too much money make certain people do silly things. They just don't think of the serious time we are living in at present.
Presently I have been pestered by the bank to get to internet banking and that is a big no-no. I had been to pay some cash into my account (which I would not be able to do via the internet anyway). John pays his household contribution in cash and whenever I have a decent amount put away it gets paid into my account. I use cash or a debit card. @Janet 💋🍰🍝🍹 @Happygirl @Pinkaholic79 💖🦄🌺 @harryflatters
Same here @Janet 💋🍰🍝🍹, @harryflatters, @renatew5😺🐶 , we pay D-D and was paid in about just over a week ago.
[@Happygirl], thank you for this update, my friend was telling me about it, but she wasn't 100% sure. Now I can teel her she was right. Don't worry, by next year they'll come up with some other excuses, make you panic, then suddenly become some sort of saviours! And re the paper money? From what I heard, is not the bank card we need to worry about. Is the possibility of going "digital money" so we can be tracked even more!
This might help some of you understand it...............
@nabob @Pinkaholic79 💖🦄🌺 @renatew5😺🐶 @Janet 💋🍰🍝🍹 @harryflatters @Tanith @andym.aat @Paul - MenCanCleanToo @Rustyfrog @roz @Flossy 🍰🍰🍰 @Flotson @homebaker etc etc
We also pay by D-D @renatew5😺🐶 and ours was paid in a few weeks ago. Hope it's not too long before you receive it.
I am sitting on the "Wait and see" fence. The so-called £150 council tax rebate has not landed as yet in my account from the Birmingham Council, even though it stated on the bill that I am entitled to it and need not take any action, it will be credited to my account. I pay my council tax by D-D in monthly instalments. So far nothing. I may get the extra £100 on the winter fuel allowance. I do not get any benefits at all. @Happygirl
I was also saying to hubby last night......MONEY IS ONLY PAPER BUT WE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT IT, but the way things are going then even paper money is going, I will NOT BE BULLIED into using my bank card apart from my online grocery shop, we went into Mcdonalds yesterday and they wanted card only so we walked out again
Also and my opinion only, if we could rely on people ( not to fight ) then I would be willing to march to downing street as rotten as I feel and protest with others, as if they get away with it this year then next year it will just be the norm with no help towards the energy crisis at all, ♥
Saw this and thought you would like to know.