The government needs to be “responsible” with public spending on supporting homes and businesses amid the energy crisis.

That’s the suggestion from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt who spoke earlier today to the BBC about the demands for keeping the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) at the same level in April.

Mr Hunt said: “We know just how tough it is for many people dealing with these huge spikes in their energy bills and that’s why we are giving about three and a half thousand pounds for the average family this year and last to help with those pressures.

“We always look at what else we can do, but we also have to be responsible with public finances because if we are not, we’ll just see interest rates go up and people will face a different kind of cost, and that’s why we have to get that balance right.”

Asked about the lack of clarity the government had been criticised for its future energy bill support schemes, the Chancellor replied: “We have given people clarity, that’s why we’re giving people £99 billion of support last year, this year, but at the same time,  as energy prices have come down, so too our receipts from the windfall taxes by much more, so we have to look at everything in the context of what is responsible for public finances, because if we don’t, we’ll just see interest rates go up, and then everyone who has a mortgage up and down the country will face a different kind of cost.”

Article source: https://www.energylivenews.com/2023/02/10/hunt-for-energy-bill-support-we-need-to-be-responsible-with-public-finances/