• Davey: NICs hit is creating a perfect storm for the care sector
• Davey on Ofgem energy price rise: Freeze energy bills and reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
• Chamberlain calls for energy bills to be frozen and Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated after energy price rise

Davey: NICs hit is creating a perfect storm for the care sector

Analysis released by the Nuffield Trust today (Friday 22 Nov) has found that the changes to Employer’s NICs look set to cost the adult social care sector over £900m next year, more than wiping out the extra funds allocated to social care at the Budget. The analysis by Nuffield Trust also estimates that the 18,000 independent organisations providing adult social care in England will be faced with increased costs of an estimated £2.8bn in the next financial year, meaning many businesses – especially smaller ones – are at risk of going bust.

Responding, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said:

These damning figures lay bare the devastating impact of the National Insurance hike on social care. The government must immediately do the right thing and exempt care providers from this ill-thought through tax hike.

This hit is creating a perfect storm for a care sector already damaged by the Conservative party’s neglect. Now there is a real danger small care providers will simply not survive.

Ultimately, it’s people in care who will suffer the consequences. The Chancellor must urgently act to help our social care sector before it’s too late.

Davey on Ofgem energy price rise: Freeze energy bills and reinstate Winter Fuel Payments

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has today called on the government to freeze energy bills so that Ofgem’s newly announced rise in the price cap will not go ahead.

He also called on the government to reinstate Winter Fuel Payments or risk pensioners being “left out in the cold” this winter.

Ofgem announced today that the energy price cap will rise by 1.2% to £1,738 a year in January, following the previous 10% rise in October. The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to cancel this rise in energy bills so that households don’t face even higher energy costs in the new year.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

Enough is enough. This further rise in energy prices cannot go ahead. As we enter another cold and difficult winter, many people simply can’t afford to see their heating bills go up yet again.

The disastrous government cuts to the Winter Fuel Payments coupled with this energy price rise will be a hammer blow for millions of vulnerable pensioners this winter.

The new government must step in now, cancel this bill rise and reinstate Winter Fuel Payments to stop families and pensioners being left out in the cold this winter.

This is a government that has pledged to bring down energy bills, it is time for them to live up to their word.

Chamberlain calls for energy bills to be frozen and Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated after energy price rise

Wendy Chamberlain, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for North East Fife, has called on the government to freeze energy bills following Ofgem’s announcement that the energy price cap will rise again in January.

Chamberlain also called on the government to reinstate Winter Fuel Payments to prevent pensioners in North East Fife and across Scotland being clobbered in the coming months by bill rises and cuts to support.

Ofgem announced today that the energy price cap will rise to £1,738 a year in January, following the previous 10% rise in October. The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to cancel this rise in energy bills so that households don’t face even higher energy costs in the new year.

Chamberlain said:

People here in North East Fife should not have to face the prospect of once again having to fork out even more for their energy bills this winter. This energy price rise cannot go ahead.

I have heard from countless people at my pop-up surgeries that they are they will have to choose between heating and eating this winter.

For many pensioners here too, this price rise coincides with the cut to Winter Fuel Payments – bill rises and less support will leave many struggling to keep warm this winter.

The new government has pledged to bring down energy bills. It is time for them to live up to their word, cancel this bill rise and protect families and pensioners this winter.