Government must cancel October energy price rise to save families in Sutton £1,781.70

• New Lib Dem proposal would pay for the shortfall in new energy bills 

Bobby Dean, running to be Lib Dem MP for Carshalton and Wallington, has called on the Government to spare local people from soaring energy bills by scrapping October’s price cap increase.

The bold plan would save a typical household in Sutton an extra £1,781.70 a year. The 70% increase in the energy price cap expected to be announced by Ofgem later this month would be cancelled, with the Government instead paying the shortfall to energy suppliers so that they can afford to supply customers at the current rates.

This would mean a total estimated saving for households in Carshalton and Wallington of over £137 million off their electricity and gas bills.

The Liberal Democrats say the estimated £36 billion cost should be met by expanding the windfall tax on oil and gas company profits, and using the Government’s higher-than-expected VAT revenues as a result of soaring inflation.

The party is also calling for more targeted support for vulnerable and low income households. This would include doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300 and extending it to all those on Universal Credit and Pension Credit, while investing in insulating fuel poor homes to bring prices down in the long term.

Bobby Dean, who is campaigning to be Carshalton & Wallington's next MP said:

"The Conservative MP for Carshalton and Wallington should be fighting for local people ahead of a grim economic winter. Instead, they are too busy with the Conservative leadership contest whilst people here suffer.

"It is time Carshalton and Wallington had an MP which puts local people first.

"The best way to protect people from eye-watering energy price rises this winter is to get giant energy companies to foot the bill. What’s the point in having a cap if it keeps going up?

“Countless families and pensioners across Sutton are already struggling, and they cannot wait for a new Conservative leader to act. We need urgent action now."