Businesses may face weeks of delay over energy bills support, No 10 says

Downing Street says companies will receive backdated payments if scheme is not in place by 1 October

Businesses may face a delay of several weeks in accessing the financial support promised to them by Liz Truss to help ease the burden of spiralling energy bills this winter, Downing Street has admitted.

Amid reports that the package for businesses would not be in place by 1 October, the prime minister's spokesperson said there could be a delay of weeks" but insisted companies would receive backdated payments.