UK's Hunt says average household energy bill to rise, keeps cap

British finance minister Jeremy Hunt said the cost of an average household energy bill would rise to 3,000 pounds ($3,554.70) a year from April after he reined in his predecessor's vast support package for gas and electricity bills. The government will spend 55 billion pounds on the current help for household bills which runs until the end of March 2023, Hunt added.

British finance minister Jeremy Hunt said the cost of an average household energy bill would rise to 3,000 pounds ($3,554.70) a year from April after he reined in his predecessor's vast support package for gas and electricity bills. "From April, we will continue the Energy Price Guarantee for a further 12 months at a higher level of 3,000 pounds per year for the average household," Hunt told parliament on Thursday.

Hunt had said in October the government could no longer deliver a two-year energy support scheme for households that had been promised by previous leader Liz Truss which would have kept annual bills at around 2,500 pounds. The government will spend 55 billion pounds on the current help for household bills which runs until the end of March 2023, Hunt added. ($1 = 0.8440 pounds)