LEE BOYCE: Crunch time for the Government’s energy support scheme

Being able to heat a house and put food on the table are two of the most basic requirements I can think of.

But for many households, both will become more difficult from April 1 if energy prices rise.

The government’s ‘price guarantee’, which exceeds Ofgem’s price cap, rises from £2,500 to £3,000.

And higher utility bills aren’t the only way household finances will come under strain next month, with other bills rising as well.

Supermarket inflation has peaked at 17.1 percent – ​​then there are council tax increases, water tariffs, mobile and broadband contracts. It’s safe to say we’re getting beat up left, right, and center.

The government’s energy support measures have cost tens of billions of pounds.

But mind-bogglingly, utility bills are rising while wholesale costs are falling. Work that out.

A silver lining is that the UK weather should warm up from April meaning less gas will be used for heating and in turn potentially lower bills depending on how you use energy.

Ministers will undoubtedly face calls from campaigners to keep the energy price guarantee at the current £2,500 rate. Whether they should do that is a tough decision.

It’s a matter of affordability and politics. Ministers must decide if they can live with more families and the elderly making sacrifices in their lives to meet astonishingly high bills.

Some support will still be available for vulnerable and low-income households.

One thing is certain: the aid has been a vital lifeline, especially for those most in need.

And I would say spending money to keep us warm is much better than the relentless push to install heat pumps and smart meters.

Historic hit

Have you heard the story of three pristine VHS copies of the boxing movie Rocky that sold for $53,750 (£44,000) at a US auction last month?

They were factory sealed and included as part of a time capsule a father made for his son in 1982. The son was then allowed to open the suitcase full of goodies on his 40th birthday.

Rocky III was released that year, and the father included a VHS tape of it alongside sealed copies of Rocky and Rocky II just in case.

I’ve always thought of time capsules as a strange oddity. But this story got me thinking.

They could even be a good long-term investment, especially in a digital world where buying physical copies of movies, music, and games is dying out.

What would you bury for your child or grandchild born today? Choose wisely – it can be a great investment!

Branch empty

Now how long does it take you to reach your local bank branch?

As they closed towns and cities across Britain, one in five now say they have to travel an hour each way to get to theirs.

Whether that journey is made on our unreliable bus network or driving to another city and paying to park to do day-to-day banking, it is the elderly and frail who always seem to suffer the most.

More than half of the establishments have disappeared in the past decade as networks have been eroded to the bone. Those who are not comfortable with internet banking have fewer and fewer options.

Let me know about the epic journey you are on right now in the quest for basic banking…

Vegetarian horror

With reported fruit and vegetable deficiencies, I have two nuggets of wisdom that can help you.

First, if a fruit or vegetable is about to flip, most of it can be chopped up and tossed in the freezer — or slaked into a new meal — instead of being tossed.

Vegetables nearing the end of their life, steamed and mixed with passata, make a great pasta sauce for none the wiser but fussy toddlers.

Second, beware of freeloaders. One of my co-workers told me this week that her local grocery store didn’t carry peppers or onions, so she went to a greengrocer.

The shopkeeper wanted £4.50 for three peppers and an onion. That’s really a matter of knowing your price (and your onions).

l.boyce@dailymail.co.uk