The government has confirmed that every household in the UK is to get an energy bill discount of £400 this autumn.
With the rising cost of living crisis continuing to make its impact felt across the country, and in the wake of inflation having now risen to the 40-year UK high of 9%, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has this afternoon announced to a package of new measures to tackle soaring prices following warnings that millions could be left struggling come October.
Mr Sunak said he had offered “significant support” for the whole UK.
The package of new measures – which is said to be worth £15 billion in total – will be partly funded through a 25% windfall tax on oil and gas firms’ profits, which have seen unprecedented rises in recent months.
As well as all UK households being set to receive a £400 discount towards energy bills, the government has also announced a one-off payment of £650 will go to eight million low-income households.
Announcing the support in an address to MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon, Mr Sunak: “We know that people are facing challenges with the cost of living and that is why today I’m stepping in with further support to help with rising energy bills.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We have a collective responsibility to help those who are paying the highest price for the high inflation we face [and] that is why I’m targeting this significant support to millions of the most vulnerable people in our society.
“I said we would stand by people and that is what this support does today.”
I’ve heard people’s concerns about the impact of the Energy Bills Support Scheme repayments on future bills.
So those repayments will be cancelled.
Furthermore, the £200 of support for household energy bills will be doubled to £400 for everyone. pic.twitter.com/e2O1NYHSc0
The Chancellor’s announcement today comes after the UK’s energy regulator Ofgem said on Wednesday that the typical household energy bill was set to rise by £800 in October, bringing it to £2,800 a year.
The regulator warned that 12 million households across the country could be pushed into poverty because of the price cap rise.
Bills had already risen by £700 on average in April.
There will also be separate one-off payments of £300 to households with pension incomes and £150 to individuals receiving disability benefits – which the Chancellor calls groups who are “most vulnerable to rising prices”.
The Strokes announce first Manchester gig in two decades
Daisy Jackson
The Strokes are finally set to return to Manchester for the first time in years, announcing a huge arena show today.
The iconic indie rockers have shared details of a new European tour, which includes a night at the massive Co-op Live arena here in Manchester.
The news comes hot off the heels of their celebrated Coachella set over the weekend.
The Reality Awaits Tour, named after their upcoming seventh studio album, will take The Strokes to Manchester as well as London and Newcastle, plus several cities across Europe.
The Strokes broke into the industry back in 2001 with their seminal debut album Is This It, which spawned massive indie anthems like Last Nite, Hard To Explain, and Sometimes.
Since then, they’ve released six studio albums, all of which have climbed into the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart.
You can expect to hear all sorts of fan favourites, like Reptilia, Juicebox, and You Only Live Once, plus new music including their latest single The New Abnormal.
Co-op Live said: “This is set to be an unmissable show as they come to Co-op Live for the first time and we can’t wait!”
Last time The Strokes played in Manchester, it was at the O2 Apollo way back in 2006 – the same year they supported Foo Fighters at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
They played Lytham Festival more recently, but haven’t ventured back into Manchester itself since.
The Strokes will play at Co-op Live in Manchester on 26 October 2026.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 17 April HERE, with a number of pre-sales beginning from Wednesday 15 April.
Manchester Museum to close much-loved section for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has announced that it’s planning to close of its best-loved exhibitions.
Thanks to a grant of £200,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, Manchester Museum is planning a major redevelopment of its much-loved Vivarium.
The Vivarium has sat at the heart of Manchester Museum for more than 60 years, and is a centre for globally-significant conservation projects, caring for around 30 different amphibian and reptile species – many of which are critically endangered – in a bid to inspire generations of visitors.
Thanks to a pioneering partnership with Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity, which is just one of many projects designed to safeguard the future of endangered species and develop learning programmes that raise awareness of threats to biodiversity, Manchester Museum houses the world’s only captive ‘back-up’ population – which is why the redevelopment of the Vivarium is so important.
The funding grant will help to ‘revitalise’ public displays, and create new state-of-the art facilities and bespoke naturalistic environments for the amphibian and reptile species cared for by the Vivarium.
It will also allow the development of dedicated facilities for schools, teaching, and visiting tour groups, which the Museum hopes will ‘further enhance’ the gallery’s potential for learning.
During the redevelopment – which has been named the ‘Habitats of Hope’ project – new permanent displays will also be created that explore the connections between its wider collections and the animals it cares for.
Manchester Museum is set to close one of its much-loved sections for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment / Credit: Supplied
“Habitats of Hope speaks to how wonderful and how vulnerable the world’s rarest amphibians are” commented Georgina Young, who is the Head of Collections and Exhibitions at Manchester Museum.
“Major investment means Manchester Museum can match the highest standards of animal care with a more accessible visitor experience, while weaving stories of research, conservation, partnership and action that stretch from thriving ponds in Manchester to hyper-biodiverse ecosystems in Costa Rica and Panama.”
The Manc -
26th May 2022 
