Responding to the Spring Budget yesterday, Somerton and Frome Lib Dems have condemned the Government's plans to increase energy bills as "so out of touch they might as well be on a different planet."

It comes as Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that energy bills will remain at £2,500 for the next three months, meaning the typical household energy bill will be double what it was in April 2021. The Chancellor also scrapped the £400 discount on bills which all households received this winter and failed to U-turn on plans to slash energy bill support for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals by 85%.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Chancellor to cut the Energy Price Guarantee by £500 per household, funded through a proper windfall tax on the record profits of oil and gas companies. This would mean average bills would drop to £1,971 a year, with the support in place until next April.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling extra targeted support for the least well-off households, including doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300. Analysis from the Lib Dems based on official local electricity and gas consumption statistics show that households in South Somerset and Mendip would save an average of £313.35 each under the party's plans.

This would mean total savings of £18,310,545 for local families. Commenting Sarah Dyke, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Somerton and Frome said: "The Conservatives government's choice to hike energy bills will come as a hammer blow to families in Somerset already struggling with soaring mortgages and rents, shopping bills and tax rises.

"These plans will push more families into fuel poverty, while oil and gas companies making record profits are let off the hook. "The Conservatives are so out of touch they might as well be on a different planet.

"In these tough times, local people deserve a proper plan to tackle this cost-of-living crisis. That means a proper windfall tax, a £500 cut to energy bills and investment in our local health services."

* Nationally, the Liberal Democrats have set out their plan to tackle the energy crisis including: A windfall tax on oil and gas companies to raise billions of pounds Cutting the Energy Price Guarantee by £500 to £1,971 - the same level as they were last April A one-off bonus tax on oil and gas executives Doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300 and the Winter Fuel Payment A U-turn on plans to slash energy bill support for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals by 85%, and instead extend current levels of support for another six months

Cllr Sarah Dyke is the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Somerton & Frome. She is also the Executive Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change on Somerset County Council.