Plaid Cymru urge UK Government to act to help people with soaring living costs
Plaid Cymru 1-04-2026, 12:40
Series of measures outlined by MPs to ‘ensure that Welsh communities receive the support they need’
Today (Tuesday 31 March) Plaid Cymru have urged the UK Government to put a series of measures in place to support households and businesses in Wales who are facing higher costs as a result of the war in Iran.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, the four Plaid Cymru MPs expressed their opposition to the war on moral and humanitarian grounds and urged the UK Government to pursue “every possible avenue” to de-escalate the conflict.
The Plaid Cymru MPs also shared their concerns about the impact the war is having on the cost of living for people in Wales, mentioning that the price of essentials such as petrol and heating oil will continue to rise. While the support that has already been announced by the UK Government is welcome, they are concerned that it fails to address the “scale of the challenge facing communities in Wales”.
Wales has the oldest housing stock in the UK, with 26% of homes built before 1919. Households with lower energy efficiency and higher levels of fuel poverty mean Welsh households face greater exposure to price shocks.
For that reason, Liz Saville Roberts, Ben Lake, Llinos Medi and Ann Davies have urged the UK Government to take the following steps to support people in Wales through this crisis:
- Provide broader direct support for households and businesses when bills rise above the current Ofgem price cap, taking into account the costs people in Wales face, such as high standing charges, along with increasing support for those reliant on heating oil and LPG.
- Stronger action against companies that fail to honour contracts or who exploit price spikes, including tougher windfall taxes on excess profits.
- Break the link between electricity and gas prices to reduce bills by up to £200, supported by long-term investment in renewables to protect consumers from volatile global markets.
The Plaid Cymru group have said that the UK Government should use this time of year to devise a package of measures which are both fair and practical ahead of the colder autumn and winter months.
In their letter, the Plaid Cymru MPs write:
“We are writing to you following the sharp increase in the cost of energy for households and businesses in Wales after the outbreak of war in Iran. Not only do we oppose this war on moral and humanitarian grounds, but we are deeply concerned about the impact it will have on the cost of living for people in Wales. We urge the Government to pursue every possible avenue to de‑escalate the conflict.
“Until the war ends and supply chains stabilise, the prices of essentials such as petrol and heating oil will continue to rise. Households are facing increases of over £300 in their energy bills this summer under the Energy Price Cap, and businesses are fearful for their future as they are left increasingly exposed.
“While we welcome the support announced to date, we are concerned that it fails to address the scale of the challenge facing communities in Wales. Off‑grid households worry that the level and delivery of support will leave some without the help they need. Meanwhile, the Government’s intention to introduce targeted support for household energy bills fails to account for the additional costs faced by people in Wales.
“We therefore urge you to take the following steps to support people in Wales through this crisis:
- Provide broader direct support for households and businesses when bills rise above the current Ofgem price cap, taking into account the costs people in Wales face, such as high standing charges, along with increasing support for those reliant on heating oil and LPG.
- Stronger action against companies that fail to honour contracts or who exploit price spikes, including tougher windfall taxes on excess profits.
- Break the link between electricity and gas prices to reduce bills by up to £200, supported by long-term investment in renewables to protect consumers from volatile global markets.
“This spring is an opportunity to devise a package of measures which are both fair and practical ahead of the colder autumn and winter months where energy use is higher. We stand ready to work with the Government to bring about the measures outlined above as a path forward to ensure that Welsh communities receive the support they need.”
https://www.partyof.wales/plaid_cymru_urge_uk_government_to_act
“Dit gaat niet meer over losse disfuncties. Dit is een volledige bestuurscultuur waarin kwetsbare mensen afhankelijk worden gemaakt van politieke connecties.” Brussels fractievoorzitter Gilles Verstraeten reageert scherp op de nieuwe Pano-reportage over sociale huisvestingsmaatschappij Anderlechtse Haard. Verstraeten eist dan ook de oprichting van een onafhankelijke onderzoekscommissie die de werking van de maatschappij volledig moet doorlichten.
read more..La conférence organisée par le Groupe au Conseil de la Vallée s’est tenue le 28 mai dans la salle ducale de l’Hôtel de Ville d’Aoste, autour du thème « Hôpital Umberto Parini : innovations et perspectives ». Une rencontre consacrée à l’un des dossiers les plus importants pour l’avenir de la Vallée d’Aoste : la réalisation du nouveau complexe hospitalier, appelé à devenir un point de référence essentiel pour la santé publique valdôtaine et pour la qualité des services offerts à la population.
read more..El Centre Internacional Escarré per les Minories Ètniques i les Nacions (CIEMEN) condemna de manera clara i inequívoca la repressió exercida per la República Islàmica de l’Iran contra les mobilitzacions populars que, des de 1999 i especialment a finals de 2025, s’estenen arreu del país. L’ús de la violència contra manifestants, amb morts, ferits i detencions massives, constitueix una vulneració flagrant dels drets humans fonamentals, en particular del dret a la vida, a la llibertat d’expressió i de protesta.
read more..De nijste ûntwikkelingen rûnom de Lelyline fernuverje ús net. De reservearring fan 3,4 miljard euro is troch it kabinet Schoof al foar it grutste part leech helle, mei no noch mar 600 miljoen euro yn de pot. It advys fan it Kolleezje fan Ryksbouwmeester en Ryksadviseurs oan de Stjoergroep Lelyline fan 20 jannewaris is ek al kritysk: dat stelt de fraach as it middel – de Lelyline, wol it doel – brede wolfeart yn de noardlike regio, helje sil
read more..La terza e ultima tappa del ciclo di incontri dedicati a uno dei temi più urgenti e controversi del nostro tempo, il turismo e il suo impatto sui territori, arriva a Trieste. L’appuntamento pubblico è per domani, mercoledì 22 aprile, alle ore 18, alla libreria Lovat di Viale XX Settembre 11, con la presentazione del libro Il turismo che non paga della giornalista Cristina Nadotti, pubblicato da Edizioni Ambiente e in collaborazione con il Circolo Verdeazzurro Legambiente Trieste.
read more..Junts alerta que el tripartit ha fet perdre tres mesos al país perquè els pressupostos d’avui són els mateixos que el Govern va registrar al febrer
Cada Onze de Setembre, Catalunya torna a mirar-se al mirall de la història, del seu passat, present i sobretot del seu futur. La Diada nacional és una jornada de memòria, però també de compromís.
read more..Liga socijaldemokrata Vojvodine – VOJVOĐANI poručuje premijeru Milošu Vučeviću da prestane sa pretnjama profesorima i učenicima koji učestvuju u blokadama škola i podržavaju studentski protest.
read more..La presidenta del grup parlamentari de Junts, Mònica Sales, ha recriminat al president de la Generalitat, Salvador Illa, que afirmés que el 2025 ha estat un bon any per a Catalunya, durant el discurs institucional de Sant Esteve. “És una actitud conformista i complaent. No ha estat un bon any. Catalunya no va bé. Només cal posar un peu al carrer per contrastar-ho: Molts catalans no arriben a final de mes, l’habitatge és inassumible, Rodalies no funciona, els serveis públics estan tensionats i el català retrocedeix de manera molt preocupant”, ha assenyalat.
read more..