The current six-month programme of energy support that will expire at the end of March was predicted to cost 18.4 billion pounds when the government's budget watchdog published forecasts in November. The finance ministry has been looking at ways to pare back the energy support packages as it tries to stabilise the nation's public finances after the political and economic turmoil under former Prime Minister Liz Truss's short-lived government. Under the new programme, businesses rather than government will have to pay the extra costs if energy prices surge. Although they are now back around the same level as a year ago - and lower than when the current support package was announced - they are still several times higher than in early 2021. The government had originally been due to publish its proposals for business energy support before the end of 2022, but the decision was delayed, angering some businesses facing uncertainty over their energy bills.

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