More help for surge in power bills is on the way, vows Boris

BORIS Johnson yesterday reassured families struggling with rising energy bills that more help is coming regardless of who succeeds him as PM.

The Prime Minister admitted the current package of support in place is not enough – but insisted it will be bolstered. Speaking to reporters on a visit to North Wales, Mr Johnson said: ‘I’m not going to pretend that things are easy for people right now.

‘You’re right to push me because we’re doing everything that we can. But there’s more money coming anyway, as a result of the decisions being taken.

‘There will be further help coming in October and in the New Year [when the energy price cap is due to rise].’

He said the Government was taking short and long-term steps to address the crisis, adding: ‘What we are doing is making sure that we have the fiscal firepower, we have the cash, to help people more at those two key points, in October and January.’

Asked if he believed the current support was enough, he said: ‘No, because what I’m saying we’re doing in addition is trying to make sure that by October, by January, there is further support and what the Government will be doing, whoever is the prime minister, is making sure there is extra cash to help people. I think it is crucial to understand that, first of all, we realised for a long time that things were going to be tough and that’s why we put in place a lot of measures already.’

It came as Therese Coffey, the Work and Pensions Secretary, dismissed predictions that energy bills could exceed £5,000 next year.

A forecast produced by energy consultancy Auxilione yesterday showed increases to the price cap could mean average household gas and electricity bills reach £4,538 in January and peak at £5,277 in April.

Miss Coffey, who is campaign manager for Liz Truss, said the Tory leadership favourite would set out further details of what help will be provided once the price cap announcement is made later this month.

She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘Just like in May, we waited for Ofgem to come out with the formal changes on what might happen to energy prices or what would happen with the price cap.

‘All the figures I have seen do not in any way suggest an average energy bill next year of £5,000, nothing near like that.’

Miss Truss has said she is against imposing a further windfall tax on oil and gas firms, but her campaign yesterday said she would not scrap the existing levy that was introduced earlier this year.