FAMILIES could be given cash to offset higher gas bills under a new green government plan.
Plans being discussed by top Whitehall advisors would compensate households for increases in gas bills that will result from the push to cut carbon emissions.
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The proposals aim to encourage Brits to switch to greener energy, sources have revealed.
The scheme would mean low and middle-income families being paid a set amount each year, The Times reports.
It would be determined by home much the government raised from new carbon taxes.
The money would be paid regardless of a household’s emissions – and those who continued to use gas would have any increase to their bill covered by the payment.
But those who switched to cheaper green energy could pocket the difference.
It is part of Boris Johnson’s pledge to meet reach net-zero without costing the public money.
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The proposal, which has discussed in Downing Street and the business department, is based on a successful initiative introduced in Canada in 2018.
Boris Johnson has insisted he doesn’t want to hike the cost of bills in order to achieve the UK goal of net zero emissions.
The PM told MPs this week: “We’ve got to make sure that when we embark on this programme that we have a solution that is affordable, and that works for people.
“This government is determined to keep bills low and that is a priority.”
The man leading the green push for the government is Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
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Sitting down with The Sun earlier this year to explain the challenges facing the UK, he promised green initiatives will quickly become cheaper.
Kwasi said: “When iPhones first came out, they were very expensive. But people got into them, people wanted them and the cost came down.
“And I think electric vehicles will see a similar development. It’s a very exciting time.
“I speak to the car manufacturers and they are actually all very excited about the switch to manufacturing electric vehicles.
“When we get that scale of investment and commitment to it, the unit costs will come down.”
Mr Johnson has already pledged to ban the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030.
And in another prong of his green strategy, he unveiled plans to pump £95 million into two offshore wind farms in the Humber, East Yorkshire, and Teesside, North Yorkshire.
Once complete, they will generate enough electricity to power eight million homes.
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