00:00Madam Deputy Speaker, let me say this to families at home.
00:03I know that with the conflict in the Middle East, rising energy bills are a real worry.
00:08I know that people look to government at times like this, not to solve all their problems, but to give
00:14them a bit of breathing space.
00:16So today I'm taking one further step.
00:18This winter, for 20 million households in Council tax bands A to D, I'm announcing a £100 energy payment for
00:30households.
00:33Paid directly into people's bank accounts to deal with rising energy bills.
00:38That's a £2.6 billion scheme to take the pressure off in the coldest months and see people through to
00:45the spring.
