THERE are calls for the government to scrap VAT on energy bills for at least a year to deal with the soaring cost of living.

Energy prices are set to rise by £693 in April, with National Insurance payments also going up - with claims 9,042 Swindon households are already experiencing fuel poverty.

At Thursday night's full meeting of Swindon Borough Council, Labour group leader Jim Grant will also call for VAT to be removed on energy-saving renovations, as well as for an huge rise in the Warm Home Discount from £140 to £400 per year.

Labour want the government to take "immediate and substantive action" to support people in Swindon and across the country.

On the agenda for the meeting, the motion says: "This council notes recent research by the Resolution Foundation think-tank, which reveals the number of UK households suffering from ‘fuel stress’ – those spending at least 10 per cent of their family budgets on energy bills – is set to treble to 6.3m overnight when the new energy price cap comes in on April 1, 2022.

"This council notes and is concerned by the government’s latest official data, which reveals 9,402 households in Swindon are in fuel poverty."

It adds that the council agrees with ‘Money Saving Expert’ Martin Lewis that "it is not an exaggeration to say there are people in the country who will be choosing between heating and eating come April."

Therefore, the Labour group want the council to call on the UK government to take "immediate and substantive action" to support families across Swindon who are struggling with the "recent sharp increases in household energy costs and the increases to come in the weeks and months ahead".

The motion adds: "This council calls on the UK government and our local Members of Parliament to end the dither and delay on tackling the cost-of-living crisis facing Swindon families and act now to support them with the escalating costs of household energy bills."

Conservative councillor and cabinet member for levelling up Tim Swinyard says the council is aware that a number of residents are facing a difficult time, and is continuing to provide help through the Emergency Assistance funding which is available to low-income households in crisis.

Council tax support is also available to reduce the bills of low-income households.

Coun Swinyard also told the Adver during the last four months energy vouchers for £355,960 have been given to 6,661 low-income households and 11,382 food vouchers worth £573,309 have been given to low-income households by the council.