Energy bill help for businesses will start from October even if payments have to be backdated, says No 10 – as it happened

Assurance comes after reports that crucial support scheme may not be in operation until November. This blog is now closed

At the Downing Street lobby briefing the prime minister's spokesperson was asked what businesses should do if they are asked at the start of October to sign an energy contract charging them five times or more what they were paying, at a point where the government scheme for businesses is not yet operational. Should they just sign up, and assume the government will cover the difference?

The spokesperson replied:

I don't want to be prescriptive without knowing individual circumstances. What we have said at this point is that we will look to give equivalent support to what we have done with with households and there'll be a bit more detail on that next week.

We are speaking to stakeholder groups as well to provide as much information as possible so they have clarity if they are required to make those decisions.

We will confirm further details of the business support scheme next week. The scheme will support businesses with their October energy bills and that includes through backdating if necessary.