Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley is calling on the UK Government to take immediate action to prevent families falling into poverty when the energy price cap raises in April.

The SNP MP has today written to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to urge the UK Government to find a solution to this crisis which protects the most vulnerable in society with targeted support.

Ofgem, the UK regulator of gas and electricity, this month announced that the energy price cap will raise by 54 per cent from 1st April.

As a result, 22 million customers across the UK – including thousands in Lanark and Hamilton East – will see a typical increase of £693 in their annual energy bills.

In her letter, Angela Crawley MP said that pledges made by the government don’t go far enough to help families navigate through the crisis.

The SNP MP also suggested a number of actions that could be taken to properly tackle this issue and ensure families are protected such as cutting VAT on energy bills, providing emergency loans to energy companies who find themselves on the brink, and reintroducing the £20-a-week Universal Credit uplift.

Commenting, Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley said:

“I have received a great deal of correspondence from constituents in Lanark and Hamilton East on their anxieties over these increases. The UK Government must do more to mitigate against this impending crisis.

“An urgent and proactive response is required to protect consumers from these price increases which risk plunging millions into fuel poverty and causing families to make difficult decisions over their personal finances.

“This comes at a time when inflation and rising costs of living are already causing great distress to families across the UK.

“The proposed grant outlined by the Chancellor has been met with widespread derision at its inadequacy to mitigate against the price rises.

“With inflation at its highest level for a generation and the cost of living raising rapidly, I urge the UK Government to reconsider their response to this crisis and to do more to protect the millions of people who face financial uncertainty with these worrying increases.”