A CAMPAIGN group launched a protest in Glasgow's city centre.
The Power to the People campaign group protested on the South Portland Street suspension bridge following an announcement made by Ofgem today.
The UK energy regulator stated that a typical Scottish household will face a 20% increase in their energy bills starting from April 1.
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This comes as a result of Ofgem's new cap, and the end of the UK Government’s £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme on March 31.
The new cap will mean that suppliers will only be able to charge the average household £3280, a £1000 decrease.
Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem chief executive, said: "Although wholesale prices have fallen, the price cap has not yet fallen below the planned level of the Energy Price Guarantee.
"This means that on current policy bills will rise again in April. I know that for many households this news will be deeply concerning.
"However, today’s announcement reflects the fundamental shift in the cost of wholesale energy for the first time since the gas crisis began, and while it won’t make an immediate difference to consumers, it’s a sign that some of the immense pressure we’ve seen in the energy markets over the last 18 months may be starting to ease."
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However, with domestic bills still increasing, Power to the People decided to hang a banner on the aforementioned bridge, which read 'slash energy bills now' in anger over the news.
The group also set off flares and chanted.
Frances Curran, organiser for Power to the People, spoke to the Glasgow Times.
She said: "We're protesting here today because we think people in this city are going to be hugely affected by the increase in energy bills.
"The Government promised us in August that they would cap our energy bills for two years.
"Then the billionaire Rishi Sunak came in and within five months he ripped that up and decided to bail out the energy companies.
"We're really angry about that, and we want to see an end put to late fees and for energy prices to come down."
Councillor Matt Kerr, Labour, was also in attendance at the event. He said: "One in four households in the city were in fuel poverty before the energy price hikes began.
"So, this news is a major issue.
"We're here today to not just draw the attention of politicians but also people, to encourage them to stand up to this as well.
"It doesn't have to be this way. There's no reason at all why there should be a 20% increase.
"Other countries have kept the price rises at a reasonable rate and there's no reason why Ofgem can't do that here.
"People are just making billions off the back of people who are on their knees.
"Wholesale prices are falling, people's bills should be falling too."
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Climate activist Coll McCail added: "We’re paying for their profits while the Government pulls the rug out from under us by raising the Energy Price Guarantee.
"We’re going to fight this every step of the way, just as we did last year."
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