The i reports that the Liberal Democrats have called for an “energy rescue package” to be introduced in the Budget to help rural communities hit hardest by rising energy bills

Exclusive analysis by the party, revealed to i, shows that there are 325,000 households in rural areas in fuel poverty, an increase of 19 per cent from 2020, when the total was 51,000.

The rural poverty fuel gap has also doubled over the same period, with the amount needed to lift a household out of fuel poverty increasing from £501 in 2020 to £956 this year.

The total is now four times higher than the fuel poverty gap of £265 in urban areas, which is up slightly from £193 in 2020.

The Liberal Democrats are urging Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to provide extra help for rural communities, warning that they are currently being left “out in the cold”.

They are calling for the government to lower the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG), which caps the cost of household energy bills from £2,500 to £2,000, which could be funded through a “proper windfall tax” on energy companies.

Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesperson Tim Farron said: "Rural communities are being hit hardest by soaring energy bills, leaving far too many families struggling to keep their homes warm."

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The i - Liberal Democrats: Cap energy bills at £2000 to help rural homes hit hardest by energy crisis