Save families in Colchester from £500 energy bill rise in April

Alison Jay,  Liberal Democrat City councillor for Highwoods ward, Colchester is demanding the Government cancel plans to hike the average household energy bill by £500 in April and bring in a tax on the “bonanza bonuses” of oil and gas bosses. 

Alison and the local Lib Dems are calling for cuts to people's bills instead, combined with a new energy support package for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals across Colchester.  

In April the Conservatives are planning to hike the energy price guarantee by £500.  

The Liberal Democrats plans would mean that in Colchester the average household would be £460.99 better off. In total Colchester would save a huge £35,000,311 

Colchester’s Lib Dems have said new price hikes now will be a “hammer blow” to families and businesses already struggling and that action is needed now to save people from a “cost of living cliff-edge.” 

Nationally, the Liberal Democrats have set out their plan to tackle the energy crisis including:  

• A windfall tax on oil and gas companies to raise billions of pounds. 
• A cancellation of the Governments £500 energy bill rise in April  
• A one-off bonus tax on oil and gas executives 
• Doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300. 
• A U-turn on plans to slash energy bill support for businesses, leisure centres, schools, and hospitals by 85%, and instead extend current levels of support for another six months. 

Alison Jay said:  

“The Conservatives’ plan to hike energy bills in April will come as a hammer blow to families in Colchester already struggling with soaring mortgages and rents, shopping bills and tax rises.  

“With no plan to deal with this cost-of-living crisis for people or businesses, this chaotic, out-of-touch Government is instead making it much worse because they just don’t get it. 

“People need real support and that’s what the Liberal Democrats are calling for. Sadly, to add insult to injury Rishi Sunak is happy for energy bosses to rake in millions of pounds in bonanza bonuses, while families struggle to put food on the table or heat their homes."