During periods of change, people often look to constants to help keep them grounded and, for many, HM Queen Elizabeth II provided that stability. As our head of state for 70 years, she was a constant fixture in people’s lives, so her sad passing is yet another significant upheaval for the public, who are already awash in a sea of change.
Change can be difficult to wrap our heads around, but it’s important that we do so, and to keep moving forward. This should especially be the case in the face of a looming crisis.

Our new Prime Minister Liz Truss (another example of change, I might add) has finally outlined her plans for dealing with the energy price crisis. 

The ‘Energy Price Guarantee’ will limit average annual household bills to £2,500 over the next two years. The price guarantee will apply to the unit cost of energy, so the amount any household pays will vary depending on how much gas and electricity they use.

A previously announced £400 energy bill discount will be retained and green levies costing £150 will be temporarily removed, meaning that average household bills will remain at roughly their current level of £1,971.

In addition, businesses and public sector bodies, such as schools, are to receive ‘equivalent support’ to households – but only for six months.

These measures are certainly set to provide a welcome respite for many. However, it remains that the average price of gas is still almost double what it was the same time last year. With inflation nearing 10% this year, many of your customers won’t have the finances available to carry out vital and much needed work, hitting your bottom line.

The path out of rising energy prices must be to prioritise energy efficiency to reduce the amount of energy we use. Major investment in this approach would mark a step-change from previous governments, but it is one change that is sorely needed.