Tory ministers have been urged to offer a lifeline to Scots struggling to pay soaring energy bills before temperatures plummet this winter. The Scottish Government has called for a "social energy tariff" in a bid to reduce fuel poverty and ensure all families can afford to heat their homes. Households in the greatest need would be automatically placed on a tariff that includes a significant discount on the unit price of energy as well as covering standing charges.
The scheme would be open to those in receipt of means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, and Personal Independence Payments. But it could also be widened to include households who are narrowly ineligible for benefits or on low incomes. Gillian Martin, the Energy Minister, today urged the UK Government to bring in a social energy tariff as a priority. It comes as Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, prepares to make his Autumn Statement next week where he is expected to outline how struggling households will be supported in the longer ter