'Act now' call on bills crisis for homes and businesses
Families will suffer and businesses will go bankrupt unless the Chancellor acts immediately - that was the warning given today as Rishi Sunak prepares to issue his Spring Statement.
Gas and electric bills are set to rise by 50 per cent in a fortnight – and average pump prices today hit yet another record in Shropshire.
Mr Sunak has been urged to use Wednesday’s statement to help those struggling to make ends meet.
New figures reveal average prices in Shropshire and Mid Wales are now approaching 170p for petrol and 180p for diesel. Prices have risen by almost 20p for petrol and 25p for diesel in the last month. Prices are far higher in rural areas of our region and there are warnings we could soon be paying £2 a litre.
Business is also suffering from increased fuel costs.
Mandy Thorn, chair of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, fears some businesses will not survive without Government intervention as they continue to be hit with rising wage costs as well as staffing and skills shortages.
She said: “We hope the Chancellor listens to the combined call of business organisations across the UK and takes urgent action to not just address the energy costs issue which will impact not only industry but households across the region.”
Urgent calls are being made for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to step in to help cash-strapped older people as the price of food and fuel continues to rise.
Heather Osborne, chief executive of Age UK Shropshire Telford and Wrekin, said: “Soaring energy prices could leave millions of older people unable to make ends meet.
“With average bills set to rise by a whopping £693 a year from April, and almost certain to increase further in a few months’ time, the support the Chancellor has announced simply does not go far enough."
