Andrew Sissons, Deputy Director at the innovation charity Nesta said:

The package of support announced today is a significant intervention from the Chancellor, which will reduce the impact of the energy crisis for many families, especially those on lower incomes. These measures are vital, targeted, and welcome.

We also need to plan for a series of very difficult winters and ongoing financial strain for millions of people. It is unlikely the government will be able to announce a similar package of measures on a rolling basis for the duration of the energy crisis, which may be with us for more than one year.

That’s why the government should complement this emergency support with an equally compelling package of preventative investment to urgently reduce the UK's exposure to gas prices. This means more insulation, more renewables, and a shift away from fossil fuel heating.

In the short term, government can reduce bills further - for free - by publishing advice to increase home heating efficiency. A small but simple change to the factory settings on combi boilers could save the average household between six and eight per cent, roughly £100 a year, on gas bills. Government should work with the heating industry and advice services to promote this change, which can make a difference immediately for around 15 million households.

Nesta is currently testing different options for making our heating systems more efficient, including lowering the flow temperature on combi boilers.

For more information, please contact Mark Byrne, Head of Media, on 07745 234 909.