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This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament

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Closed Reform energy pricing and taxes to better protect lower income households

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We want the Government to legislate to:

• prohibit standing charges
• remove VAT on the first 3000 kwh/year of electricity and 12,000 kwh/year of gas
• increase VAT rate on larger consumers to the standard rate
• subsidise the first 3000 kwh/year of electricity and 12,000 kwh/year of gas

The rise in energy prices is disproportionately hitting the poorest households in this country and the impact on them is, and will continue to be, devastating.

More people will have to choose between paying for basics like food or keeping their homes warm.

Urgent support is needed to protect those most at risk.

Current action by the government, while welcome, is not targeted and merely 'scratches the surface' of the problems the poorest face.

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  • Related activity

    Government responds to petition on standing charges on energy bills

    The Government has responded to a public (paper) petition calling on the Government to consider abolishing standing charges, in order to alleviate the financial pressure upon households in the cost of living crisis, and to encourage responsible energy use. The petition was presented to the House of Commons by Martyn Day MP on behalf of residents of the constituency of Linlithgow and East Falkirk.

    In response to the petition, the Government says that it recognises the challenges posed by cost of living pressures and states that Ofgem regulates standing charges for domestic customers. The response goes on to state that in November 2023, Ofgem launched a call for input on how standing charges are applied to energy bills, and what alternatives could be considered. The Government says that Ofgem is currently reviewing responses to the call for input and that further engagement will inform any further policy development.

    The Government's response says

    What are public (paper) petitions?

    A public (paper) petition is a petition to the House of Commons presented by an MP.

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  • Petition closed

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 23 February 2023.