A BROUGHTON councillor has expressed her sickness at the rising cost of energy bills in the UK since this time last year - and has called on the goverment to do more.

Cllr Nicky Cockburn, who represents Broughton St. Bridgets ward on Allerdale council, has had an estimate predicting her energy bill will rise from £141 in August 2021 to £627 this month, after her latest estimate was provided.

When asked about her feelings on the price rise, Nicky said: "This is just totally unsustainable, it really is profiteering at it's worst, I feel physically sick, I really do.

"Because you know that it is profiteering, it shouldn't be allowed the government really do need to do something about this but they won't.

"It's ordinary people that have to pay it, I don't see why we should be having to line the pockets of these companies who are making millions."

When asked who was to blame, Cllr Cockburn said: "It's the power companies themselves, and the government isn't putting any restrictions on this, they are just allowing these people to make obscene profits.

"The government needs to have a maximum price, the profits that they (the energy companies) are making, they are tripling their profits and it's just discraceful, it's obscene - it's just not sustainable."

Cllr Cockburn thinks that the problem is only contributing to the current cost of living crisis. She said: "It's this and then your fuel prices on top, things like filling up your car.

"A lot of people in Cumbria are two car families at least, because basically the public transport is left wanting.

"So it's a double whammy on people in Cumbria."

'It's unwise to ignore the experts'

But Workington MP Mark Jenkinson has said that domestic energy prices have been capped by the government.

He said: "Domestic energy prices are capped to a maximum price by Ofgem, and the advice from experts such as Martin Lewis is to remain on capped variable tariffs - it would be unwise to ignore him and fix on higher tariffs.

"I find it shocking that an elected councillor would resort to scaremongering using forecasted fixed tariffs she knows she’ll not pay, at a time when people are already fearful.

"From October, at a cost equivalent to nearly 2 per cent on the rate of income tax, 27m households will see a £66 credit on their household energy bills for six months.

"This comes after a £150 council tax credit to all households in bands A-D, a discretionary fund for those in other bands, a £150 for those in receipt of disability benefits, an additional £300 winter fuel payment for many pensioners - which means up to £1,200 in some households - and £650 for the 8million lowest paid.

"A total package equivalent to a 30 per cent rise in the basic rate of income tax and with more yet to come.

"Reported profits from oil companies are not made from domestic energy markets, and will go to pay the pensions of many of my constituents - given that pension funds are the largest shareholders.

"The profits of these companies are already taxed at twice the rate of other companies and with an additional windfall tax on top and we should be very wary of scaring off investment both in UK exploration and extraction, and in UK jobs."