MOTHER SAYS GAS CHARGE PLAN COULD INCREASE HER BILLS

Chancellor John Healey announced plans on Wednesday, ahead of his first Budget speech, to remove daily standing charges from gas bills. Raegan Furness, a single mother in Macclesfield, Cheshire, said the change could increase her family’s costs. Furness cares full-time for her daughters, Amelia-Star and Kacie-Rae. The Treasury estimates that the change would save a typical household £45 a year. Households that use more gas than average could pay more under charges based on consumption.

Amelia-Star has ADHD, while Kacie-Rae has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Furness receives Universal Credit and Disability Living Allowance for both daughters. She said Kacie-Rae cannot regulate her temperature, so she keeps the heating on all the time. Furness said their home is damp and mouldy. “We're being penalised for having to cater to Kacie's medical conditions and making sure she's warm and safe,” she said.

The Treasury said Ofgem, the UK energy regulator, would aim to remove the charges “in 2027 or as soon as possible after”. The plan would end the daily charge that households pay even on days when they use no gas. Furness said she expects her family to fall within the 40% she described as using more gas than average. She hopes the government will increase the Warm Home Discount to £250 to help cover potential extra costs.