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Higher energy bills this winter mean the government should step in to provide more help for households most in need, the body representing energy firms in the UK has said.

Stubbornly high prices over the last few years have left some people needing “emergency support” over and above the existing £150 Warm Home Discount, Energy UK said.

It added that bills were unaffordable for millions and a “better targeted and more agile” support scheme was needed.

On Wednesday, the energy price cap for October onwards will be announced by regulator Ofgem and is expected to hit a three-year high.

“Suppliers continue to do all they can to help their customers but as well as persistently high bills, record levels of debt show how the current system is failing to provide the right support to those in need,” Energy UK chief executive Dhara Vyas said.

A new “social discount” scheme would result in “a system that works better for everyone”, she added.

Ofgem reported at the end of last winter that customers who had fallen behind on their energy bills owed suppliers a record £4.7bn. Since then wholesale energy prices have risen, following the start of the Iran war in February.

Energy consultancy Cornwall Insight predicts Ofgem’s cap on household price rises, which is set every three months, will go up by 4% when it is announced on Wednesday.

The rise will apply to household bills during the first half of the coming winter and follows a sharper 13% rise in July.

As well as the conflict in the Middle East, Cornwall Insight said prices had been affected by heatwaves across Europe that had increased demand for power generation to support air conditioning and other cooling.

The price rise would outweigh the impact of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s move to remove VAT on household electricity bills from October, it added.

Currently, people receiving means-tested benefits are entitled to the one-off £150 Warm Home Discount over the winter, something administered by the energy suppliers themselves. The rebate is paid for by a levy on all energy users that is collected and redistributed via bills.

Energy UK said the Warm Home Discount reached six million customers, but there were another 2.5 million who needed help because a medical condition or draughty home meant they consumed more energy.

It said if the government would allow the combining of information about customers’ income, health and energy consumption, a discount scheme could offer targeted and adjustable support, and respond to changing needs and price levels.

The body said its proposed new scheme would cost £1.9bn – nearly double the cost of the current scheme – but could offer £450 in support to some households.

Energy UK suggested the new support scheme could continue to be part-funded through bills or shifted entirely onto the taxpayer, via government funding.

The last time the price cap reached a similar level was in July 2023, Cornwall Insight said, which was still below the peaks reached the previous year in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

During that energy price spike the Conservative government committed a total of around £40bn , externalof government spending to support households with energy bills.

The challenge of combining sources of personal data, including income and health, and the proposal to find more taxpayer money to fund such a scheme are likely to raise questions.

However, Adam Scorer, chief executive of National Energy Action, said this was the sort of approach his charity was calling for, especially as the Warm Home Discount has risen by only £10 over the last decade.

“We desperately need a new approach,” he said.

“There will be a lot of detail to get right, but if government genuinely wants to provide breathing space for people in fuel poverty, it needs to take this challenge on and work with energy companies and charities to design something truly fit for purpose.”

Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx co-owner Marc Lore has agreed to sell his controlling stake in the franchises to businessman and limited partner Marc Stad.

The deal values the NBA and WNBA franchises at $4.5 billion, ESPN reported.

Alex Rodriguez, a 14-time MLB All-Star and FOX MLB studio analyst, said Friday that he plans to increase his equity stake in both franchises. Lore, meanwhile, will retain a minority stake. The size of Lore’s and Rodriguez’s respective ownership stakes was not immediately clear.

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Minority team owners Marc Lore (L) and Alex Rodriguez of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns during game two of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Target Center on April 23, 2024 in Minneapoli (David Berding/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Lore stepped away from his roles as co-owner and co-chairman to focus on a planned IPO for his food-tech company, Wonder Group, over the next year. He believed transferring controlling ownership to Stad put the franchise in a position to keep experiencing success.

Stad, the founder and managing partner of Dragoneer Investment Group, was a major minority investor in the Timberwolves and Lynx under Lore and Rodriguez. 

Sources told ESPN the ownership transition followed months of discussions and will allow Stad, Rodriguez and Lore to preserve the teams’ current leadership structure, including Timberwolves President Tim Connelly, general manager Matt Lloyd and coach Chris Finch, as well as Lynx coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve.

Minnesota Timberwolves minority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez celebrate the team’s win over the Phoenix Suns at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 28, 2025. (Bruce Kluckhohn/Imagn Images / IMAGN)

“We have been working together for years with a shared goal of building the Timberwolves and Lynx into the best organization in basketball on and off the floor,” read a joint statement from Stad, Rodriguez and Lore issued Friday. “Our priority is and always will be championships. Our new agreement, pending league approval, is an evolution of the partnership we have built together and strengthening of our commitment to our team and our culture.

“While we’re proud of the great work we’ve done, there’s so much more to do and we’re just getting started.”

Rodriguez reacted to the developments on social media writing, “One of the great joys I’ve had in my career is spending the last few years helping build the Timberwolves and Lynx with my friend and partner Marc Lore. I’m very excited to announce that this incredible journey reaches a new level today. Marc and Elisa Stad, who have been our partners and friends since we bought the teams, will be increasing their investment and joining me as Co-Chairman.”

He continued: “I will also be increasing my investment and spending even more time with the teams as Co-Chairman, Governor of the Lynx, and alternate Governor of the Timberwolves, pending league approval. While Marc Lore will be reducing his role and ownership to focus on his business, he remains an investor and a key part of our partnership. I could not be more energized about this evolution and what we’re all going to do together for the Twin Cities.”

The deal now heads to the NBA Board of Governors, which is expected to consider and approve the transaction at its Sept. 15-16 meeting.

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The $4.5 billion valuation ranks as the fourth-largest franchise sale in NBA history, trailing the Boston Celtics’ $6.1 billion sale in 2025 and two Los Angeles Lakers transactions over the past year that valued the team at $10 billion and $12.5 billion, respectively.

Elisa Stad and Marc Stad attend the 2025 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, on April 5, 2025. (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic / Getty Images)

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Since Lore and Rodriguez bought into the franchise, the Timberwolves have reached the playoffs in five consecutive seasons. Minnesota has advanced beyond the opening round in each of the past three trips.

Paramount is preparing to meet Monday with California officials with the aim of starting talks to potentially resolve the antitrust lawsuit that stands in the way of the company’s $81 billion deal to acquire rival Warner Bros. Discovery

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increase; up pointing triangle, according to people familiar with the matter.

A dozen Democratic-led states led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued in July to block the deal on antitrust grounds, arguing that the combination of Paramount and Warner would create too much concentration in the markets for theatrical films and cable television channels.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the United States on Saturday of making a last-minute “power play” by trying to restrict Canada’s ability to strike trade deals with other countries, offering new details about what he said caused negotiations between the two sides to collapse.

Carney said the U.S. introduced new demands in the final hours of negotiations involving Canada’s other trading relationships, its auto sector and protections for Canadian culture and the French language.

“The U.S. introduced at the last hours, in the last hour, efforts to restrict our ability to have other trade deals,” Carney told reporters.

Asked what he believed the U.S. was trying to accomplish, Carney responded: “It’s a power play. It’s a power play and, you know, [it] becomes a question of sovereignty.”

US-CANADA TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SUSPENDED, CARNEY VOWS DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR RETALIATION AGAINST TRUMP’S 50% TARIFFS

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks Saturday during a news conference on U.S.-Canada trade negotiations. (Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The comments came a day after Carney suspended negotiations and ordered Canada’s trade team back to Ottawa as President Donald Trump‘s 50% tariffs on roughly $28 billion in Canadian goods took effect.

Canada said it plans to match the U.S. tariffs dollar for dollar, with Carney saying Saturday that the retaliation will target sectors including steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics. 

The measures will take effect the Tuesday after Labor Day on Sept. 8.

Washington has disputed Carney’s account of why the negotiations broke down.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Friday that Canada declined to finalize terms agreed to earlier in the week, accusing Ottawa of making new demands and walking back previous commitments.

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President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office at the White House, May 6, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images / Getty Images)

“Tonight [Friday], Canada declined to finalize the trade deal under the terms agreed earlier this week,” Greer said in a statement. “Despite the U.S. offer to Canada to receive the best treatment of any major exporter to our market, new demands and walk backs of other commitments by Canada have upended the careful balance reached in the past days.”

Greer said the U.S. offered Canada significant tariff reductions on steel, aluminum, autos and lumber, along with a broader economic and national security partnership covering digital trade, critical minerals, aerospace and export controls.

Carney offered a different account Saturday.

“In short, they asked too much, and they offered too little,” he said.

US, CANADA STRIKE DEAL TO OPEN BRIDGE LINKING DETROIT AND WINDSOR AFTER DISPUTE DELAYED LAUNCH

Autos were another major issue in the trade deal. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters, File / Reuters Photos)

Autos were another major sticking point. Carney said the two sides disagreed over tariff levels, the treatment of Canadian content and which vehicles would be covered by a potential agreement.

He said the U.S. also continued efforts to seek changes involving Canada’s protections for its culture and the French language, which Carney said Ottawa would not accept.

The breakdown came just days after Trump paused the 50% tariffs for three days and announced that the U.S. and Canada, subject to final documentation, had reached a “DEAL!”

Carney said Saturday that the two sides had made significant progress before the negotiations unraveled.

President Donald Trump holds up a chart of “reciprocal tariffs” while speaking during a trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House, April 2, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Canada is now preparing additional support for businesses affected by the tariffs, particularly small and medium-sized companies, with Carney saying the government will release details alongside its retaliatory measures.

Asked whether the latest escalation amounted to a full-scale trade war, Carney said Canada was responding to an attack.

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“We’re attacked, like you’re at war when you get attacked, we got attacked,” Carney said.

“We’ve got the reserves, we’ve got resilience, we have the plan, we get the focus, we respond, we’re going to focus on what we can control, we are going to build.”

A new business can look established from its first day, even when it has only recently started trading. Customers rarely know how long a company has existed when they first discover it, so they judge what they can see. Presentation, communication, reliability, and consistency shape that first impression.

Looking established does not mean pretending to have a longer history. It means creating an organised presence that gives customers clear reasons to trust the company.

A Consistent Identity Creates Recognition

The business name, logo, colours, contact information, and tone of voice should remain consistent across the website, social profiles, emails, invoices, and directory listings. Consistency makes a business easier to recognise. Different names, old logos, or conflicting contact details can make an organisation appear disorganised.

A Professional Domain Connects the Brand

A dedicated domain gives the company a clear digital home. It also allows the business to use email addresses connected to its own name without relying entirely on personal accounts. A short, relevant domain that resembles the business name is generally easier to remember and recognise.

A Small Website Can Still Look Complete

New businesses sometimes assume an established appearance requires a large website. In reality, a few useful pages create more confidence than many unfinished ones. Customers mainly want to understand what the business does, who it serves, and how to take the next step.

A strong first website might include a homepage, service information, an About Us page, contact details, and answers to common questions. Every page should have a clear purpose. Placeholder text, broken links, empty sections, and outdated details make even an attractive website feel neglected.

Professional Communication Builds Confidence

Customers often form opinions about a company before speaking to anyone directly. An email response, quotation, appointment confirmation, or invoice can influence whether the business feels dependable.

Messages should be clear, polite, and easy to understand. A branded email address also connects correspondence to the company identity.

Clarity Matters More Than Speed

A rapid reply is useful, but speed matters less than clarity. Customers value responses that answer their questions, explain what happens next, and set realistic expectations.

Templates can help with quotations, booking confirmations, and follow ups. They should still be adapted to the customer so communication feels personal rather than automated.

Formal Business Details Make Verification Easier

Some customers will check company information before making a purchase or signing a contract. Formal details therefore support the public-facing brand and make the business easier to verify.

Depending on the location and type of business, founders may need to consider registrations, tax requirements, licences, insurance, and an appropriate legal structure. For some entrepreneurs, completing LLC registration during the wider setup process creates a formal entity, although the legal and tax consequences depend on the jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Accuracy matters more than appearances. A business should never claim licences, certifications, memberships, years of operation, or regulatory approvals that it does not have.

Proof Makes Business Age Less Important

A company does not need decades of history if it can show evidence that it delivers good work. Reviews, testimonials, case studies, photographs, portfolio examples, and measurable results give potential customers something concrete to evaluate.

Specific evidence is particularly persuasive. A testimonial explaining what problem was solved is more useful than a general statement saying the company was excellent. A case study describing the situation, work completed, and result can demonstrate expertise without exaggerating the business history.

New companies may not have many reviews yet. Founders can instead highlight relevant experience, sample work, qualifications, detailed processes, or educational content that demonstrates knowledge.

Reliable Processes Create a Mature Customer Experience

Established businesses feel predictable. Customers know how to contact them and what happens after a purchase.

A new company can create the same experience with simple systems. Contact forms should reach the correct inbox, appointments should be confirmed, invoices should contain accurate details, and customers should receive clear payment or delivery instructions.

Keep Public Information Current

Outdated information is one of the easiest ways to make a business look neglected. Old opening hours, discontinued services, incorrect telephone numbers, or abandoned social media accounts can create unnecessary uncertainty.

Review important public information regularly. Update the website when services change, remove expired offers, and make sure directory profiles match the main website. A smaller number of accurate profiles is better than many inactive ones.

An Established Appearance Comes From Repetition

No single logo, website feature, or registration makes a young business look established. The impression comes from many small signals working together. Customers see the same identity, receive clear communication, find accurate information, and experience reliable processes.

The goal is not to make a new company appear older than it is. It is to show that the people running it are organised, serious, and prepared to serve customers properly. Consistency makes a young business feel credible and dependable.