Keir Starmer unveils £53m cost of living support for heating oil customers to tackle energy bill crisis
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed a new £53million cost of living support package for British households impacted by the US-Iran war.
Addressing the nation, the Prime Minister announced a wave of financial assistance for families, especially those reliant on heating oil to warm their homes, amid fears of an energy bill spike.
Over the past two weeks, oil prices have surged in response to the US and Israel’s decision to launch a military strike on Iran and the regime’s proxies in the Middle East.
In response, the Islamic Republic has closed off the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping route that transports around 20 per cent of the world’s oil, and key energy infrastructure in the region.
The Prime Minister has unveiled new cost of living support
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GETTY / KEIR STARMER
During his speech, the Prime Minister unveiled the following changes to energy bill policy:
- Energy bills will be capped until the end of June, saving the average household £117 a year, thanks to Ofgem reducing the price cap for households on average usage
- Fuel duty cap will be extended until September, with the Labour Government floating a ‘cheap fuel finder’ for drivers to find the lowest price of oil
- Some £53million in immediate cost of living support will be awarded to heating oil customers, who are considered the most exposed to changes in the market.
- Continuing with the UK’s energy security independence scheme to ensure the UK is “not subject to the fluctuations of prices” caused by geopolitical events
- Work with other countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.
Oil prices are on the rise | GETTY
The Iran war has caused major disrupton across the globe | GETTY
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Britons are saddled with billions in energy debt | GETTY
