UK Households Face Fresh Cost-of-Living Squeeze as Energy Bills Rise
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UK households may soon pay more for basic goods because energy prices have become higher. Official figures are expected to show that inflation, which measures how fast prices rise, increased to about 2.9% in July, up from 2.6% in June. This ends some recent progress in lowering price rises.
The main reason is the increase in gas and electricity costs for homes. In July, the UK energy regulator Ofgem raised its maximum allowed energy prices by 13%, making households pay more for power.
Because of this change, people may need to spend a bigger part of their income on essentials like heating and lights. The UK government says it will try to help by lowering VAT tax on electricity from October, which should save families around £45 each year.
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Vocabulary
6 wordsWhen prices increase and money buys less.
Official group that controls an industry’s rules.
Numbers used to show information or data.
All the money you receive from work.
The basic things you need to live.
Movement forward or improvement over some time.
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9 questionsWhat is the expected inflation rate in the UK for July?
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