While the Truss campaign continued to remain publicly silent on the measures on Monday, details of the options being considered are emerging. The Telegraph understands that Mrs Truss plans to introduce a freeze on energy bills that could last until 2024 and is also leaning towards applying the freeze to all 28 million households rather than offering means-tested support, according to multiple campaign and Ministry of Finance. A government figure familiar with the Truss campaign’s policy discussions said the intervention would be “huge” and that the campaign wanted a “simple” solution. Kwasi Kwarteng, who is due to be appointed chancellor on Tuesday, hinted at a two-year intervention to the Financial Times, saying the package would help businesses and families “in this winter and next”. Freezing the price cap would mean annual energy bills for the average household would remain at £1,971 instead of jumping to £3,549 next month. The overall package could cost the Treasury up to £100 billion. The money could be given to energy companies as a loan, and industry bosses appear to have suggested it be repaid through a levy on household bills after the crisis is over. However, this would mean that household bills would not fall as quickly as otherwise. Truss campaign figures insisted final decisions have yet to be made, with discussions continuing this week. Keeping prices flat for both winter 2022-23 and 2023-24 would reflect her campaign’s belief that energy bills will remain unusually high in 2024.
