Newspaper headlines: 'Energy bills to hit £5,000' and 'heatwave UK'

A view of the low water levels at the Woodhead Reservoir in DerbyshirePA Media

A view of the low water levels at the Woodhead Reservoir in Derbyshire

By BBC News
Staff

Stories about the growing cost-of-living crisis and rapidly rising energy bills lead the majority of the front pages.

The Times leads with an article by the Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak saying he wants to "cancel out energy price rises". The former chancellor has written in the paper to promise to provide the support required to those who need it.

The Daily Telegraph report on Mr Sunak's rival Liz Truss rejecting calls to increase the windfall tax on energy companies. The foreign secretary said it would send the wrong message to international investors.

The latest analysis, meanwhile, suggests that household energy bills could surge above £5,000 next year, a warning that the Daily Express described as "shocking".

"PM turns up for meeting" is the headline on the Metro's front page, after Boris Johnson met energy industry bosses yesterday - although no new measures were announced.

The Mirror says the Tories have no plans to tackle soaring bills, describing them as "clueless". The paper says the prime minister has been accused of standing by and doing nothing to help families who are struggling to cope.

As well as the rising cost of living, many of the papers focus on the current heatwave and tinder dry conditions.

The Guardian reports that, with England poised to be declared officially in drought, more restrictions will be introduced, as the "climate crisis bites".

The i says the drought may last months, and limits on water use could be in place until the autumn.

Crop harvests are under threat with supplies of potatoes and apples already expected to be depleted, according to the Telegraph .

The Sun says some supermarkets were stripped of bottles of water by panic-buyers on Thursday, while the Mirror's front page simply carries the words "Britain's Burning".

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The Financial Times leads on a letter from the Bank of England's governor to Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, warning them against political interference in the City of London. Andrew Bailey says the next prime minister must not meddle in its regulatory independence, claiming that it could make the UK less economically competitive.

The Daily Mail asks "where is all our extra NHS money going?", after figures yesterday showed that hospital waiting times have hit record highs. The paper has described the latest figures as "bleak" and says they are in spite of billions of pounds in extra funding from the National Insurance hike.

There are fears patient data could have been stolen in a cyber attack on an NHS software supplier, according to the Guardian. The paper says the 111 phone line and GP surgeries are among services which have been affected after the firm Advanced was hit by ransomware. The National Cyber Security Centre says it's working with the supplier and supporting the NHS.