Businesses and charities will see energy bills cut in half by support scheme
By Rachel Lawler
Businesses, schools and charitable organisations will see their energy bills decrease by around 50% of the expected rates under the government鈥檚 support scheme. Announced earlier this month, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide support to both residential and commercial energy customers from 1 October 2022. Businesses and charities, including early years providers, should benefit from the scheme.
of the scheme have been revealed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industry today, which says the scheme will be reviewed after three months, after which time it may be extended beyond the initial six months for 鈥渧ulnerable businesses鈥.
新澳门六合彩官网开奖 do not need to contact their energy suppliers about the scheme 鈥 it will automatically be applied to bills between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023.
Prime Minister Liz Truss said: 鈥淚 understand the huge pressure businesses, charities and public sector organisations are facing with their energy bills, which is why we are taking immediate action to support them over the winter and protect jobs and livelihoods.
鈥淎s we are doing for consumers, our new scheme will keep their energy bills down from October, providing certainty and peace of mind.鈥
Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, said: 鈥淲hile a cap on the wholesale price of energy for businesses will offer some welcome respite for early years settings, the fact that the government has only committed to offering this support for six months will be of great concern to many providers.
鈥淵ears of underfunding, rising inflation and rocketing energy costs has resulted in the closure of 4,000 settings in the last year alone 鈥 and without significant support over the long term, there is a risk that this trend will only continue. As such, it is absolutely vital that the early years sector is included on the government鈥檚 list of 鈥榲ulnerable鈥 industries set to receive support after the initial six-month period has ended.
鈥淎ll too often during the pandemic, the early years sector was overlooked, forgotten and omitted from vital business support schemes, resulting in many unnecessary and preventable closures. It is critical that the government doesn鈥檛 make the same mistake again.鈥