National Grid Chief Warns UK Households Face ‘Very, Very Hard’ Winter | Farsnews Agency

The head of National Grid warned that many British households would find this winter “financially very, very hard”, despite government support to limit the rise in gas and electricity bills.

John Pettigrew, the chief executive of the company that oversees Britain’s electricity and gas systems, told the Financial Times he was “under no illusions” about the struggles many people would face during the colder months, despite a universal subsidy on all domestic energy bills until April.

“Even with the [taxpayer-funded] price cap this is a doubling-up of what people are used to paying for their energy bills,” said Pettigrew, adding, “Therefore inevitably there are going to be people who are going to struggle.”

The government has capped the unit cost of energy until April, which would mean a typical household would pay about £2,500 on average over a year. But last winter the equivalent figure was £1,277. Each household will also receive a £400 rebate on energy bills with additional means-tested payments through social security benefits.

But charities have warned the help will not be enough to avoid 7mln households, or a quarter of all homes, experiencing “dire fuel poverty”.