UK newspapers brand energy price rises 'cruel on 'bleak Friday'

People are feeling the bite of the cost of living crisis due to increasing energy prices and other bill hikes that have come into effect today.

The 54 per cent rise in the energy price cap today means a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will now pay £1,971 per year, which amounts to an average £700-a-year increase for households.

Meanwhile, a further rise is expected in October and council tax, water bills and car tax are also going up for some.

In February, Rishi Sunak announced a support plan worth £350 – via a £150 council tax rebate and a repayable upfront £200 discount – for each of “the vast majority of households” to take the “sting” out of the rise.

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But Keir Starmer branded the government's response as "pathetic" and accused the government of forcing people to choose between heating their homes or eating.

He told the BBC that the Labour party would introduce a one-off windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies and use the money to help households struggling to cope with rising energy bills.

Sunak told the BBC's Newscast: "I'm confident in what we've done. I know it's tough for people. We're facing a very difficult situation with the price of things going up and I want to do what we can to ameliorate some of that, but I'm also honest with people that we can't ameliorate all of it, sadly."

Here's what UK newspapers had to say about the news:

The Independent: Five million households face budget squeeze

The Mirror: April Cruel Day

The Guardian: Millions rush to minimise energy bills on eve of Bleak Friday

The i: Anger at Sunak as the cost of living crisis hits home

The Metro: Energy firms meter fiasco

The Sun: Pain in the gas

Financial Times: Biden orders record oil stockpile release in effort to quell fuel costs

Daily Express: House prices surge £33,000 in a year

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