Rocketing energy bill rises will be "devastating blow" to West Dunbartonshire residents, says MP

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Residents face massive energy bill hikes of around £700 in a “devastating blow” for families across Dumbarton and the Vale.

Regulator Ofgem announced they will soar by 54 percent from the beginning of April - prompting fears four million households across the UK will be pushed into fuel poverty.Those using prepayment meters will see a typical increase of £708 to £2,017.The increase is driven by a record rise in global gas prices over the last six months, with wholesale prices quadrupling in the last year.Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that Scotland will benefit from an additional £290m of funding to help ease the burden of rising energy bills.But West Dunbartonshire MP Martin Docherty-Hughes says it will not go far enough, fearing the hike will force many into financial hardship.He said: “The news of a 54 percent hike in UK energy bills will come as a devastating blow for families across Clydebank, Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven.“One third of households in West Dunbartonshire are already living in fuel poverty, and the latest rise in energy prices will force many more into financial hardship.“With bills going up by an average of £700, the Chancellor’s measures announced in Parliament today fall well short of what’s needed to tackle this Tory cost of living crisis.“The Treasury’s plan of ‘buy now, pay later’ loans which need paid back isn’t the answer, and will only prolong the agony for the majority of families who will be hundreds or thousands of pounds worse-off due to Tory cuts, regressive NI tax hikes and rising inflation.“Scotland is an energy-rich country, yet under this Westminster government our communities are suffering from rising fuel poverty.