Household energy bills during lockdown

That this House is deeply concerned with the increasing financial pressures being felt by struggling families as a result of the coronavirus; recognises that energy bills are estimated to increase by an average of £32 a month or almost £400 a year due to increased energy usage during lockdown; understands that the vast majority of people do not change energy suppliers for a variety of reasons and an estimated 16 million homes are overpaying for energy on the standard variable tariff with one of the six biggest energy providers; acknowledges that high energy costs have a serious impact on people’s finances, coming at a time when many face losing their jobs and livelihoods and are facing real financial difficulties on reduced incomes; appreciates that reduced incomes and increased costs will lead many families to borrow to get by, potentially plunging millions of households into further financial difficulty; and calls on the Government to do all it can to support more households to switch to cheaper energy suppliers to help ease those pressures during this time of national crisis.