Tories pressure Boris Johnson to scrap taxes on rocketing energy bills

2 January 2022, 20:31

Boris Johnson has been urged to help consumers facing 'fuel poverty'.
Boris Johnson has been urged to help consumers facing 'fuel poverty'. Picture: Alamy

By James Morris

Twenty senior Conservative politicians have urged Boris Johnson to scrap taxes on rapidly rising energy bills.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The MPs and peers have written in the Sunday Telegraph asking Mr Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak to help consumers facing "fuel poverty" as gas and electricity payments continue to rocket.

Among the signatories are former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, as well as senior backbench MPs Robert Halfon and Steve Baker.

They argue that the UK is causing energy prices to increase faster than any other comparable country due to "taxation and environmental levies".

Pensioner shares energy predicament with David Lammy

"We hardly need to point out that high energy prices, whether for domestic heating or for domestic transport, are felt most painfully by the lowest paid," the letter states.

It argues that removing VAT on energy bills and environmental levies which fund renewable energy schemes could save the average household £200 on their energy bill.

Providers including Good Energy, EDF and trade body Energy UK have also urged the government to intervene, after the cost of gas in wholesale markets rose by more than 500 per cent in less than a year.

Read more: David Lammy: Scrap VAT on energy to fight cost of living crisis

Households are expected to see a severe hike in the cost of their energy in April as suppliers are due to increase prices in line with these costs.

More than two dozen energy suppliers have also gone bust since the start of September, putting thousands of people out of work and leaving millions of homes in limbo as they wait for a new supplier.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 over revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says