Energy taxes must be scrapped to help struggling households as fuel bills get set to double from April, Boris Johnson has been warned.
A letter signed by 20 Tory MPs and peers urged the Prime Minister to axe the 5% VAT on domestic energy bills and to stop green levies that amount to a quarter of energy bills.
They said while the cost of living crisis is being led by soaring global wholesale costs, environmental and other levies have caused prices to rise “faster than any other competitive country”.
Former schools minister Robert Halfon, one of the signatories to the letter in the Sunday Telegraph, told the BBC : “I have huge worries about the rise in energy costs... and they’re going to rise even more. I think the Government needs to take special measures to try and help, given the particular circumstances we face.”
Trade body Energy UK said regulator Ofgem and ministers must urgently consider “a range of potential measures” to deal with rising bills.
Adam Scorer, of fuel poverty charity National Energy Action, said rising prices will be “pretty catastrophic” for millions of households.
Tory MP Robert Buckland told Times Radio: “I’m genuinely concerned that we are going to be hitting some really alarming price rises during the next few months.”
Health Minister Ed Argar said measures including the Warm Home Discount are in place for poorer households.
