Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to add hospices to the list of Energy and Trade Intensive Industries eligible for increased support under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme.

The new Energy Bills Discount Scheme will provide all eligible non-domestic energy users with a discount on high energy bills until 31 March 2024, following the end of the current Energy Bill Relief Scheme. It will also provide businesses in sectors with particularly high levels of energy use and trade intensity with a higher level of support.

We have taken a consistent approach to identifying the most energy and trade intensive sectors, with all sectors that meet agreed thresholds for energy and trade intensity eligible for Energy and Trade Intensive Industries support. These thresholds have been set at sectors falling above the 80th percentile for energy intensity and 60th percentile for trade intensity, plus any sectors eligible for the existing energy compensation and exemption schemes.

All other eligible non-domestic users, including eligible hospices, will automatically receive a unit discount on their bills of up to £19.61/MW for electricity, and £6.97/MW for gas.

Additional financial support has been provided to Integrated Care Boards for inflation in addition to the energy support provided by the Government.