Hampshire North MP and minister Kit Malthouse said the cost-of-living rise will be ‘tricky’ for his household, on the same day he is set to receive a £2,000 pay rise

MPs’ salaries rise to £84,144 today, up by 2.7 per cent, after the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) announced last month that their pay would go up for the first time in two years.

But it comes on the same day that the biggest jump in domestic energy bills in living memory has come into effect, and days before national insurance contributions will increase by 1.25 percentage points.

Speaking on Sky News, policing minister and MP for North West Hampshire Kit Malthouse acknowledged it will be ‘very tough.’

He said: ‘We completely acknowledge that a combination of factors has meant that prices are rising significantly, energy prices in particular, driven by a variety of factors – post-pandemic, the war in Ukraine, other kinds of global factors outside of our immediate control – and it is tough.

‘For those of us who have a smart meter, as we do here in my house, we can see how much it is costing us on an hourly basis, and it is not happy reading.’

Mr Malthouse, who as a minister of state earns an extra £31,680 so his total pay to £115,824, said his household is facing a ‘tricky’ time.

The minister told LBC: ‘Obviously the day-to-day is quite tricky.

‘As you know, I’ve got children. They need to be fed and that cost is rising.

‘My fuel prices are rising quite significantly, and I have to say that in my constituency I’m on oil central heating still, sadly.’

The Conservative politician added: ‘Oil, I’m afraid to tell you, doesn’t come under the energy price cap, and lots of people in rural areas are suffering from the oil price rise.

‘So we are feeling it very significantly. I have to confess to you, we did convert last year to electric vehicles, so we are feeling the electric price but not through the petrol. So it is a challenge for everybody.’

Crime and policing minister Mr Malthouse said he had attempted to log on to his energy provider’s app on Thursday as millions tried to give meter readings before the price rise came into effect, but found it ‘wasn’t working either.’

Charities have warned that 2.5 million more households are set to fall into ‘fuel stress’ as the 54 per cent increase hits bills.

Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty said: “The energy price cap rise will be potentially ruinous for millions of people across the country.

‘The support announced so far from the government simply isn’t enough for those who’ll be hit hardest. With the long-anticipated price rises now hitting, many more people will face the kind of heart-rending choices that our frontline advisers already see all too often.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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