Rishi Sunak says it would be 'silly' to give families more support with energy bills

Rishi Sunak has claimed it would be 'silly' to increase support for people paying their energy bills at the moment. It comes as households battle the cost of living crisis, with the energy price cap rising by 54% this month, while food and fuel prices have also increased in recent months.

The government previously announced a £150 council tax rebate and a £200 energy bill discount - which will then have to be paid back over five annual £40 payments, like a loan. But people across the country are already seeing bill increases which far exceed that support - like 92-year-old Molly Powner, from Oldham, whose energy costs are set to rise from less than £1,300 a year to £4,800.

Mr Sunak says he will look at whether further support could be brought in should the price cap rise again in the autumn, but believes now is not the time to increase help, even as people struggle with rising costs now. Appearing in a Q&A session on Mumsnet, the chancellor was asked by someone who was disabled and relies on life-saving equipment at home whether more support would come.

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He replied: "Now I know people are anxious about this and wondering if they are going to go up even more, and I have always been clear from the beginning we will see what happens. And depending on what happens to bills then, of course, if we need to act and provide support for people, we will.

"But it would be silly to do that now or last month or the month before when we don't know exactly what the situation in the autumn will be. So I'd say we'll see where we are with that if we need to do more."

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