Households struggling to pay their fuel bills are set to receive significant extra help with the cost of warming their homes. The money is being provided by domestic energy suppliers in a deal brokered by Energy Secretary John Hutton following last month's Budget decision to increase the winter fuel payment and secure an increase in the amount of money suppliers spend on their social programmes.

The agreement follows the Chancellor Alistair Darling's announcement in the Budget that the Government would, as a priority, secure increased support for households and means Great Britain's six energy suppliers collective annual spend on social assistance will triple to £150 million by 2011. 11/04/08