James O'Brien 10am - 1pm
Owner of seven homes set to receive £2.8k from Sunak's rebate says he'll keep the cash
29 May 2022, 18:07
Caller who owns seven homes is set to receive £2800
This caller who owns seven holiday lets and is set to receive £2800 from the Chancellor's energy rebate says he'll keep the money.
It comes after Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced plans to give every household in Britain £400 off their energy bills to help ease the cost of living crisis.
The Chancellor said a temporary 25 per cent windfall tax on oil and gas companies will be introduced in a major U-turn to fund the grants.
He scrapped his initial plan to loan households £200 and make them repay it over five years.
A one-off cost of living grant of £650 will also be given to the most vulnerable in society, meaning almost all of the eight million most vulnerable households will receive support of at least £1,200 this year.
Camilla asked caller Craig: "What are you going to do with your multiple £400 grants, if you've got different energy accounts that you handle at different properties?"
"I'm going to keep the money I think, because my personal opinion is that the government, over successive governments, has mismanaged our energy in the UK for many years," Craig said.
Read more: Fears Sunak's windfall tax will make inflation even worse
'It's quite clear' not every household will need energy grant
"Like everyone else, my energy costs are going up through the roof. What I charge my guests does not go up. It's not reflective on what they pay, so essentially we're all hit. We all pay more.
"Fundamentally, if the government had actually pre-planned 20 years ago, we wouldn't be in this crisis."
"What about people who say Craig this money wasn't meant for you. £400 per property for someone who owns seven properties and is presumably doing quite well out of it... you're probably doing alright aren't you?" Camilla asked.
Craig replied: "We're doing okay now, but over the last two years it's been hard. It's hit everyone, it's hit every business. I think a lot of businesses are trying to recoup a lot of losses that they've sustained over the last few years."
Read more: 'Nonsense' to suggest Brexit to blame for surge in inflation, says Tory MP