Calls have been made to support businesses in Carmarthenshire which have been ‘left in the cold by surging energy costs.’
The calls are for both UK and Welsh governments to provide greater support for rural businesses during the cost-of-living crisis.
Particularly in Carmarthenshire, this has been pointed to the local businesses reliant on LPG or oil as a heating source, and are therefore affected by wholesale market price fluctuations.
Carmarthenshire has a disproportionately high number of off-grid businesses and properties – with almost 40 per cent of premises off-grid, compared with a Welsh average of 19 per cent.
Recent months have seen oil and LPG prices fluctuate, with one off-grid west Wales business seeing the price they pay for LPG more than double from 40p a litre to 82p per litre.
A recent report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) found that 40 per cent of small businesses in Wales are extremely concerned about rising energy costs.
The report also noted that 65 per cent of small businesses in Wales had experienced price increases in fuel costs over the past year – with 40 per cent of companies seeing their energy costs double or more.
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Speaking in the Senedd during questions to the Welsh government Economy Minister, Cefin Campbell MS criticised the lack of support for off-grid businesses and called for greater assistance.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our rural economy,” he said. “However, as reflected in FSB’s recent research there’s no denying that this is a worrying time for many firms and employers – with many facing a bleak midwinter amidst spiralling energy bills and the wider cost of living crisis.”
A disproportionately high number of businesses across Mid and West Wales are off-grid, and reliant on heating sources such as LPG and oil – which are liable to fluctuating prices.
“Many of the existing support packages provided by Welsh and UK government have left these off-grid businesses in the cold, and greater efforts need to be undertaken with urgency to support them over the coming difficult weeks and months.”
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