Energy Bills to Rise in January
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Vocabulary
energy bills ˈɛnɚdʒi bɪlz noun phrase
monthly or yearly statements showing how much money you must pay for electricity, gas, or heating
Energy bills in the UK are going to cost more money.
increase ɪnˈkris noun
the amount by which something becomes larger or greater
This is the biggest increase in four years.
charge tʃɑrdʒ verb
to ask someone to pay a certain amount of money for something
When prices are high everywhere, energy companies charge more money.
typical ˈtɪpɪkəl adjective
normal or average, like most others of the same kind
A typical family bill will jump from 1,723 pounds to 1,999 pounds.
takeaway food ˈteɪkəˌweɪ fud noun phrase
prepared meals you buy from a restaurant and eat at home instead of eating there
He says everything costs more now and eats less takeaway food.
cut taxes kət ˈtæksɪz verb phrase
to reduce the amount of money that people must pay to the government
They cut taxes on electricity last week.
Article
Energy bills in the UK are going to cost more money. In January, most families will pay an extra 276 pounds per year. This is the biggest increase in four years. Cold weather makes January a hard time for families.
Why are bills going up?
Gas and oil prices around the world are very high right now. Europe needs more gas for winter. When prices are high everywhere, energy companies charge more money. A typical family bill will jump from 1,723 pounds to 1,999 pounds.
What can families do?
The government is trying to help. They cut taxes on electricity last week. One man, Aaron, works extra hours and eats less takeaway food. He says everything costs more now. People hope the government will do more to help.
Discussion Questions
- How much money will energy bills increase in January?
- Why do you think winter is a hard time for families to pay bills?
- What did Aaron do to save money when bills went up?
- Do you think 276 pounds more per year is a lot of money?
- What can the government do to help families with energy bills?
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