Lib Dems back “Robin Hood tax” on energy giants to support families with heating bills

Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Member for Mid & West Wales Jane Dodds is calling on the UK Secretary of State for Energy Kwasi Kwarteng to back her party’s call for a “Robin Hood” tax on the super-profits of oil and gas firms, to raise money to support local families facing soaring energy costs. 

The proposed one-off levy could raise over £5 billion to help support families in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire as their energy bills sky-rocket.

The Liberal Democrats say the money raised through this “one-off” tax could fund a substantial package of emergency support to help thousands of people facing higher bills.  

This would include doubling the Warm Homes Discount and extending it to all those receiving Universal Credit or Pension Credit, giving 45,990 households in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire £300 each off their heating bills this year. 

The party is also calling for the winter fuel allowance to be doubled, benefitting 41,040 pensioners in the area and helping them keep their homes warm. On top of this, funding would be spent on helping people insulate their homes to slash heating bills in the long term.

Welsh Liberal Democrats Leader and Senedd Member for Mid & West Wales Jane Dodds said:

“It can’t be right that a few energy firms are making millions from record gas prices while people can’t even afford to heat their homes as the cost-of-living crisis hits both Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire hard.

“A one-off Robin Hood tax on gas and oil bosses would provide vital funding to support families in our area who are facing crippling energy price hikes.

“We know Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire are hit hard by fuel poverty with 15 per cent of all households in Pembrokeshire and 14 per cent of all households in Carmarthenshire living in fuel poverty.

“For years both the Conservatives and Welsh Labour have ignored this problem and failed to take the bold action we need to reduce fuel poverty. The Government cannot look the other way any longer while families struggle to get by.”