Susanna Reid interrupted the usual flow of Good Morning Britain on Tuesday (February 25) to deliver a “breaking news” update.
During the day’s broadcast, the ITV host announced that energy prices are set to rise by just over six percent in April, according to regulator Ofgem’s new cap – an increase higher than anticipated that will strain household budgets.
“Our breaking news this morning is another energy bills price rise. The energy regulator Ofgem has announced the energy price cap is going to rise by six percent for 26 million homes in England, Scotland and Wales from the 1st April this year,” Susanna reported.
“Well, this is the third time in a row that the cap has gone up, and the increase is the result of a combination of colder weather and the shortage in the amount of gas available across Europe, which, of course, has led to an increase in wholesale prices, which knocks onto you,” her co-host Richard Madeley added.
Richard and Susanna then passed the baton to correspondent Juliet Dunlop, reporting live from Renfrew in Scotland, reports the Manchester Evening News.
“Many households were already worried about what this price rise might mean for them, and they might be even more worried now that we’ve had that confirmation from Ofgem this morning,” she elaborated.
Juliet observed that people have already begun adjusting at home to reduce energy consumption. Many opt to use a microwave instead of an oven, limit the use of kettles and washing machines, and lower the central heating temperature.
“This is the third consecutive rise in a row. You can see how those prices have crept up, and confirmation within the last few moments is that the rise is six percent, slightly higher than many analysts predicted,” she continued.
“While the price cap has gone up, the hope is that more of us will use less gas and electricity over the summer months, but yes, with other rises possibly on the horizon, there’s a lot of numbers to crunch over.”
Analysts had anticipated a five percent price hike before Ofgem’s announcement. The regulator cited inflation and wholesale costs as reasons for the latest increase.
Ofgem’s chief executive, Jonathan Brearley, acknowledged the significant price burden on families and conceded that another hike was “unwelcome.”
He advised customers to “switching or fixing tariffs now” as a means to reduce energy expenses and “provide certainty over coming payments”.
“If anyone is worried about paying their bills, I would urge them to reach out to their supplier to make sure they’re getting all the help they can,” Jonathan added.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am