Minister switches heating off at home after feeling price hike rises 'very significantly'

1 April 2022, 08:46 | Updated: 1 April 2022, 09:44

Government minister Kit Malthouse has revealed he is finding the cost of living crisis "tricky" as the price of fuel, energy and oil sky rocket in the UK.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, the policing minister revealed his household had begun to make cut backs as they grapple with the soaring cost of oil central heating, including turning off the heating in his home from today and instead burning a log fire to keep warm.

When grilled by Nick on whether or not Chancellor Rishi Sunak should "open his cheque book" to help those struggling with the cost of living, Mr Malthouse said: "Well I don't think we have a tenure, we recognise it is really really tough out here.

"I mean I am sitting here with my smart metre thing telling me how much I am spending an hour in my home. It is really tough we recognise that.

"And in fact I tried to log onto my power company app last night and it wasn't working either so. And remember the chancellor just like every MP is rooted in the experience of his constituency, sitting down in his surgeries as I will be doing later today, talking to the constituents about their problems and how they live under problems they face."

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Minister: My household is feeling the impact of cost of living crisis

Mr Malthouse said the Chancellor is monitoring the problem day by day and said if the "economy allows" further measures to be implemented, he will consider it, admitting the UK is "facing huge debts" since Covid.

When asked by Nick what cutbacks have been made in Mr Malthouse's property amid the crisis he explained: "Honestly the day today is quite tricky as you know Nick I have got children who need to be fed and that cost is rising, my fuel prices are rising quite significantly.

"And I have to say I am on, in my constituency, on oil, still sadly, central heating."

Nick said the cost to heat his house must be "exorbitant" to which the Policing Minister said: "And of course oil I'm unafraid to tell you does not come under the energy cap so people in rural areas are suffering from the oil price rise so we are feeling it very significantly.

"I have to confess to you we did convert last year to electric vehicles so we are feeling the electric price too but not through the petrol so that is a challenge for everybody."

Read more: 'I didn’t think it would be this bad': Martin Lewis warns energy bills could exceed £2,500

Read more: Energy websites crash as people rush to give meter readings ahead of price hike

Former energy boss warns bills could skyrocket in October

Brits today woke up to a massive hike on the limit they can be charged for energy, as MPs awoke to a £2,000 pay rise.

The next grim milestone in the cost-of-living crisis arrived as the energy price cap rose by 54%, meaning households face much higher costs for heating and powering their homes.

The squeeze comes amid soaring inflation, compounded by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Government will point to a package of support announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak but already members of his own party have suggested he will need to announce more help.

And of no comfort to Brits trying to make ends meet, MPs today saw their pay climb by an extra £2,212 a year, taking their salary to £84,144.

Speaking on Wednesday ahead of the new price cap rise, money saving expert Martin Lewis told LBC: "I didn't think it was going to be anywhere near as bad as this. I thought it was just going to be bad, I didn't think it would be catastrophic."

Whilst Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty said: "The energy price cap rise will be potentially ruinous for millions of people across the country."