China News Service, Beijing, May 27 (London News): On May 26, local time, the British government introduced a package worth 15 billion pounds to help domestic people cope with soaring energy prices and living costs.
According to the UK government's official website, the package will provide every household in the UK with £400 in energy bill relief from October this year, up from £200 previously.
In addition, the scheme will provide a one-off payment of £650 per household to more than 8 million low-income families, £300 per household to more than 8 million families with pensioners, and more than 6 million people receiving disability benefits. There will also be a £150 grant.
At the same time, the plan will also temporarily impose a 25% tax on profits made by oil and gas companies until oil and gas prices return to historically more normal levels.
The BBC quoted researcher Dan Atzori's analysis as saying that while taxing the companies involved could provide an "instant solution" to helping people, it was "not a lasting solution to the UK's fuel shortage".
A prolonged levy could "cause energy producers operating globally to invest and relocate elsewhere", jeopardizing the UK's energy security in the long run.
According to the Associated Press news, the British inflation rate reached 9% in April, the highest level in 40 years.
Millions of people's energy bills rose 54% over the year compared to the same period.
The UK energy regulator, the Office of Natural Gas Electricity Markets (OFGEM), has said that the annual spending of millions of British households could rise by another £800 to £2,800 later this year.
Adam Scorer, chief executive of National Energy Action (NEA), a local fuel poverty-focused charity, told the BBC that the plan avoided the "worst-case scenario" but "Millions of people are still struggling and the energy crisis is far from over".
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