Energy bills: ‘significant number’ of Britons got help they didn’t need – NAO

Public spending watchdog says 69bn package was applied so quickly it could be open to fraud

A significant number" of households in Great Britain received financial support they did not need through the government's 69bn package to cushion the blow of rising energy bills, the public spending watchdog has said.

A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) said the blanket nature of the financial support meant it helped a deadweight" of households and businesses that could have afforded to absorb the price rises. It also warned that the speed at which it was distributed left the schemes open to fraud.