The DfE wrote to schools and colleges on 8 September about support for households and organisations with energy price rises, as follows:
“
You will have seen that, this morning, recognising the financial pressures which families and organisations across the country are under, the government has announced an ‘Energy Price Guarantee’ which will limit the price suppliers can charge customers for units of gas and electricity. Measures to tackle the root causes of the issues in the UK energy market through increased supply have also been announced.
Typical UK households will pay no more than £2,500 a year on their energy bill for the next two years from Saturday 1 October, saving the average household £1,000 a year based on current energy prices from October. This comes in addition to the announced £400 energy bills discount for all households and together they will bring costs close to where the energy price cap stands today.
There will also be a new six-month scheme for businesses and all non-domestic energy users, including charities and public sector organisations, which will offer equivalent support as is being provided for households. Providers in all DfE sectors will therefore be eligible.
After this initial six-month scheme, the government will provide ongoing, focused support for vulnerable sectors. There will be a review in 3 months’ time to consider where this should be targeted to make sure those most in need get support.
Further information is available at GOV.UK. More details of how support will be received will be published shortly.”
You can read ASCL’s response to this announcement
here. While we welcome the extension of the energy price cap to schools and colleges, we are deeply concerned at the indication that this guarantee will only last for six months. There also appears to be no concrete advice yet as to how schools and colleges in different situations should respond to this announcement, and what immediate actions they may need to take. We are seeking urgent clarity on this from the DfE.