Plaid Cymru urge UK Government to act to help people with soaring living costs

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:

1. 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.
2. Stronger action against companies that fail to honour contracts or who exploit price spikes, including tougher windfall taxes on excess profits.
3. 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