Help for energy bills will be extended, but it will be less generous, Hunt confirms.
This means millions of households will see their energy bills go up by hundreds of pounds a year from April.
A household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £3,000 annually, up from £2,500, as the Energy Price Guarantee rises. Without the government’s support, experts have said the figure could have hit £3,700.
Hunt added that “the most vulnerable” will receive additional cost of living payments next year “of £900 to households on means tested benefits, £300 to pensioner households and £150 for individuals on disability”.
He said the government will also provide a further £1bn of funding to enable a 12-month extension to the Household Support Fund “helping local authorities to assist those who might otherwise fall through the cracks”.
He will also bring forward “a new targeted approach to support businesses from next April”.
Stressing that he wants to “go further”, he confirmed that the government will cap the increase in social rents to a maximum of 7% in 2023-24.
“That is a saving for the average tenant of £200 next year,” he noted.
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