Ofgem’s energy price cap doesn’t cover our LPG supply
I read that the energy price cap is going up again in April and people are struggling to pay their bills, but I can’t find any information relating to homes with bulk LPG tanks.
Does anybody care about us? Is there any control over the spiralling cost of buying it?
At the moment we pay 63p a litre plus VAT, but our two-year deal ends in September. Our previous contract was at 40p a litre, so we have already experienced a big jump in our household energy costs.
We live in a small two-bedroom house and currently spend about £50 a month on electricity and just over £100 on gas. We rarely have the thermostat above 16C, and that’s only in the evenings.
Yesterday I found out that the current rate for LPG is 98p a litre. I’m worried it will be even higher by the time my contract runs out. I live in rural Mid Wales, so mains gas is never going to be an option. What can I do?
PG, Powys
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is an expensive domestic fuel used for cooking and heating by people who cannot access the UK mains gas grid. Whereas Ofgem’s price cap puts a ceiling on how much suppliers can charge for conventional home energy, LPG is not covered. This fuel market is regulated by the Competition and Markets Authority.
There is no price cap but the competition watchdog has taken steps to ensure consumers can switch supplier to get a better deal without being hit with punitive fees, as was once the case. The trade association Liquid Gas UK operates a supplier search tool where you can input your postcode to find your cheapest local supplier.
I asked whether there was Welsh government help for households keen to ditch pricey fossil fuel heating systems such as this, and it pointed to its Nest service, which provides support, including links to grants and loans. For those in financial crisis, a discretionary assistance fund can award off-grid fuel payments of £500.
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