Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support rural and off-grid households with energy costs.

The Government recognises the significant pressures these increases to alternative fuel prices place on households in rural communities and off-grid households.

The Chancellor recently confirmed the Government’s approach to rising energy prices will be to target help to those who need it most. To that end, the Government has announced £53 million for low-income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices.

Since the crisis began, we have worked with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to warn companies about unfair practices, such as price gouging, as well as writing to companies to warn them about our expectations of their behaviour. The Government continues to monitor the situation closely, and we are looking at what further support may be needed.

The measures taken in the Autumn Budget reduce the cost of electricity and therefore benefit all households with a domestic electricity meter, including those not on the gas grid. In addition, on 30 January, we announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2030/31, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills each winter.