Martin Lewis has called for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to include an opt-out scheme for the £200 'rebate' that the Government is giving to every household as a measure to help with rising energy bills.
Domestic electricity bills for 28 million households will be reduced by £200 in October, with £40 added automatically to bills over the next five years to repay it.
However, on an appearance on Good Morning Britain after having a meeting with Mr Sunak, Lewis argued that an opt-out clause should be included due to a survey released that reported not everyone wanted it.
The Money Saving Expert founder said: "They need to scrap it for a very simple reason. 57% of people [who were surveyed] would opt out of this if they could [and] only 26% of people would opt-in.
.@MartinSLewis is calling on the government's £200 energy 'rebate' to be scrapped after a poll showed more than half of Brits would opt-out if they could.
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) February 11, 2022
He says the Chancellor should 'introduce an opt-out clause'. However, Martin admits it might not be possible by October. pic.twitter.com/x3HvWJiUv5
"Now I said as soon as this was launched with my instant analysis that this is a scheme where the Chancellor is taking a gamble on.
Lewis explained that Mr Sunak is taking a risk in the fact that energy bills will drop by April 2023 but that is "far from certain".
He went on: "If we saw a continued escalation of the problems in Russia and Ukraine, they [the prices] could get worse.
"The Chancellor is hoping that you take £200 off bills in October, you add £40 on bills in April when they've dropped and people won't feel it.
"Of course if he's wrong and that don't drop, or don't drop substantially, then you have higher bills and an extra £40 levy on top. You've got a total lose-lose situation."
What suggestion did Martin Lewis make to Rishi Sunak?
Finally, Lewis made mention of what the Chancellor should do.
He said: "It seems to me that it is wrong of the Chancellor to take a gamble with people's finances that they don't want, when there is no net gain.
"So what he should do is introduce an opt-out clause.
"But unfortunately I doubt it is technically possible to see an opt-out scheme set up by October. That is a much bigger piece of admin then what they are planning to do."
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