Businesses and charities have been reacting to Liz Truss' energy announcement in the House of Commons today (8 September).
The Prime Minister announced bills for the average household will be frozen at no more than £2,500 and businesses will be spared crippling increases.
Ms Truss also ended England’s ban on fracking – the process of extracting shale gas by fracturing rocks with high-pressure water.
The national disability charity Sense has raised concerns that the energy cap freeze announced today by the Government will fail to adequately protect disabled households, who are disproportionately affected by rising costs and use more energy for essential equipment.
Sense Chief Executive Richard Kramer said: “After months of uncertainty, today’s announcement by the Government will bring relief to many, easing the pressure on households amid rising costs.
READ MORE: Liz Truss announces £2,500 energy price freeze in new emergency measures
"However, it doesn’t recognise the additional costs disabled households face, which must be met with specialist intervention. While everyone is affected by this crisis, disabled households have been one of the hardest hit because of their circumstance. Many are in poverty, less likely to be in full-time work and face higher costs for energy to run essential equipment.
"The families we support have said they are desperate, with no choice but to run the feeding machines, electric wheelchairs, epilepsy sensors and oxygen machines that support their loved-ones, but require a lot of energy. These are not luxuries. This freeze of the energy cap is an important step, but we need urgent targeted supported for disabled households and to uprate benefits to a level that people can live on.”
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition called the energy announcement an “expensive sticking plaster” without further investment in improving energy efficiency of homes worst affected by fuel poverty. Coalition co-ordinator Simon Francis said: “While many households will breathe a sigh of relief, the Prime Minister offered no detail of additional support for the millions of households who will be left behind in fuel poverty this winter.
“Many of these people are struggling already and include those who are elderly, disabled or with pre-existing health conditions. Without more support to keep them warm this winter, the pressures on the NHS and social care system will increase.”
On the political side, MP Jess Phillips questioned Truss' decision to remove the fracking ban in the UK. She said: "I suggest that Truss takes the first one for the team and has 40 odd fracking sites in her constituency. Lead the way Liz."
I suggest that Truss takes the first one for the team and has 40 odd fracking sites in her constituency. Lead the way Liz. https://t.co/9jzp0PDINn
— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips)
For small businesses, a cafe owner has said that the help offered to the hospitality sector by Liz Truss was a big “disappointment” as he hoped that VAT rates would be slashed to help businesses survive.
Robert Chapman, 57, who runs a cafe in Beverley, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, with his wife Catherine, 59, told the PA news agency that Liz Truss’ plan to help businesses struggling with bills for six months “doesn’t seem long enough”.
“When you’ve got these massive energy prices coming down the line, delaying them for six months just means you’re in limbo for six months. We work on much longer cycles than six months to make decisions on hiring, on investment… and a six-month period of just waiting is not going to help anybody.”
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