Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has made of the impact of increases in gas and electricity standing charges on (a) single person households and (b) low-income households.

The standing charge is a fixed charge that suppliers pass on to their customers to cover the cost of providing a live supply. The standing charge is passed on to consumers as a flat rate per day, rather than as a percentage charge, based on how much energy they use.

The Government has announced a package of help for consumers, including a £400 grant to domestic electricity customers’ bills as well as further payments targeted specifically at households on benefits, pensioner households and the disabled.