STRUGGLING Brits could get more handouts to help with rocketing energy bills next winter, a minister said today.
Energy minister Greg Hands didn’t rule out further support for hard-up families in the Autumn.
The energy price cap will be reviewed again in October and could rise further if natural gas prices remain high.
Brits will be clobbered with an extra £693 on their bills from April, with inflation squeezing household budgets.
In response Rishi Sunak unveiled a £9bn emergency support package which will see most families handed £350.
Everyone will get a £200 discount on this year’s bills, which will have to be paid back over the next five years.
Households in bands A-D will also have their Council Tax for the year slashed by £150.
Asked if the Chancellor may have to go even further in October, Mr Hands said: “It is too early to say what the price cap will be.
“We keep these things under constant review. Of course we won’t hesitate to act if we need to to defend consumers.
“But of course we have to recognise the UK is not in any way exempt or immune from high global energy prices.”
He defended the measures unveiled by Mr Sunak, which have been criticised in some quarters for not going far enough.
Mr Hands insisted the Treasury has struck the “right balance” and needs to be “responsible” with the nation’s finances.
The PM hailed the “mega package” and said he’s doing what he can to help Brits through the cost of living crisis.
But foreign office minister James Cleverly admitted some people will still “struggle” with bills and the Government can’t help everyone.
And Tory MPs have urged Boris to go further by axing VAT and green levies on energy bills, saving families hundreds.
They also want him to delay or even scrap the planned National Insurance rise in April which will sting the average household for £180.
TAX RISES
But at a No 10 press conference last night the Chancellor resolved to press ahead with crippling tax hikes.
Rishi is sticking to his guns despite overseeing the biggest fall in living standards in 30 years.
He’s persevering “difficult decision” to raise National Insurance by 1.25 percentage points to fund the NHS and social care.
As energy bills and interest rates went through the roof, Mr Sunak defied calls to scrap the tax hike to ease the pressure on struggling families.
He said: “I do believe this is the right thing to do. If you think, what’s the country’s number one priority when it comes to public services? It’s the NHS.
“And we’re faced with a situation where the backlogs are growing to unacceptable levels as a result of Covid.”
The NICs hike will raise £13billion a year to clear NHS backlogs and reform social care.
Mr Sunak told a Downing Street press conference: “It’s a difficult decision to introduce a new levy. It’s not something I would wanted to have to do.”
The Chancellor, who is eyeing a leadership bid, suggested he wanted to cut taxes before the next election.
It came as the Bank of England warned living standards will tumble to their lowest since records began in 1990.
