either vat s reduced or just cut completely. rosita s fears for her business are also felt at home. like all of us, she ll face an energy price increase next month when the price cap is set to rise to £3,519 a year for a typical household. and just up the road in the busy suburb of chapel allerton, people want action now. costs need to come down and the government need to take action and help support people. i want them to think about working class people, because we work hard and we can t afford lots of things. everything, everything s going up, so everyone s feeling the pinch. . it s a struggle when you ve got children because you feel- like you can t do the fun things you used to be able to do. - yeah, it s a difficult one. i wouldn t want to be a politician trying to figure all this out, because where s the money come from? i guess they re gonna have to pull it from somewhere else, aren t they? the rising cost of energy
to newswatch with me, samira ahmed. coming up in the programme: there is rising concern about rising energy prices, but is bbc news contributing to the public s anxiety over the issue? and the bbc faces criticism again on the thorny issue of impartiality. broadcasters and journalists have often seen august as the time to recharge their batteries on holiday, safe in the knowledge that nothing much will happen. that wasn t the case this summer when the news agenda was busy and questions continued to be raised about the bbc s role in reporting it. at the top of many bulletins were the cost of living in general and energy bills, in particular. the typical gas and electricity bill willjump to £3,519 per yearfrom october, and almost £60 more if you re on a prepayment metre. this figure isn t the maximum you can be charged.
as the time to recharge their batteries on holiday, safe in the knowledge that nothing much will happen. that wasn t the case this summer when the news agenda was busy and questions continued to be raised about the bbc s role in reporting it. at the top of many bulletins were the cost of living in general and energy bills, in particular. the typical gas and electricity bill willjump to £3,519 per year from october, and almost £60 more if you re on a prepayment metre. this figure isn t the maximum you can be charged. it is an average. and it s predicted that prices will rise even further next year. annual bills could exceed £5,000 from january 2023 and then more than £6,000 from april. worrying figures for many people, but some felt the bbc was adding to that worry with the tone and extent of its reporting on what might happen, but hasn t happened yet. stewart luck was one of them, writing:
but when, how and who will receive it remains difficult to tell. in an interview with the daily telegraph, nadim zahawi warns high bills could be here to stay for the next two years, and says while he s concerned about helping people on benefits and pensioners, those on middle incomes will need help too. if you re a senior nurse or a senior teacher on £45,000 a year, he says, you re having your energy bills go up by 80%. the energy price cap is set by the regulator 0fgem. it s rising by 80% in october. currently, a typical annual energy bill paid by direct debit is £1,971. in october, that will rise to £3,519. pre payment meter customers pay a little extra. a typical usage bill from october then will be £3,608. i m afraid the pain might not be over. the energy price cap is now reviewed every three months. analysts are predicting a rise in january and another one in april. with every increase, more and more people will face financial difficulty.
in october, that will rise to £3,519. prepayment meter customers pay a little extra a typical usage bill from october, then, will be £3,608. becky has a full time job. for the first time, she s having to think about whether to heat her home orfeed herfamily. i ve never had to use a food bank before. i ve had to use one twice in the past few weeks, purely because my money isn t stretching anywhere, any more. every household will get £400 off their bill in six instalments from october, with more help for pensioners and those on lower incomes. but there is frustration for some at the lack of clarity on exactly when more help will arrive. because the government has been so relaxed, often late with its announcements of support, and now refusing to say anything because of the conservative party leadership election, they ve backed themselves into a corner. they have to be able to get money out of the door quickly to help