Employers urged to extend support for workers after energy bills blow

Employers are being urged to expand cost-of-living support for workers following the announcement of the latest Ofgem price cap.

While the price per unit of energy has come down under the new price cap level, higher standing charges and the end of the Government £400 energy payment means that for most households with lower usage, bills will be even higher this winter than last.

Greg Marsh, CEO and Co-founder of Nous.co, a service which saves employees money by managing their household bills, said: “The energy bill crisis is far from over – for many households their bills will be the same or even higher this winter than last. It’s essential that employers do whatever they can to help their workforce.

We know many managers want to help, but many simply aren’t able to meet inflation-linked pay demands.”

He added: “High-quality workplace perks can help untangle this problem – a well-placed benefit can save an employee far more money than it costs the business to roll out. The best approach is to focus on benefits that solve the issue of soaring bills directly at the source.”

Polling by Nous.co has found that energy bills are the biggest source of concern for UK households. Some 68% of people are worried about their energy bill, compared to 43% who are worried about their mortgage or rent, and 38% who are worried about their council tax.

From October to December, the price cap will be set at a level where a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit faces an annual bill of £1,923, based on average consumption.

Daily standing charges will increase from 53p to 53.37p for electricity, and from 26p to 26.26p for gas.