UK power bosses pocketed 30million last year as struggling households face cost-of-living crisis [Video]

The bosses of Britain’s biggest energy and utility companies pocketed an eye-watering £30million in pay between them last year as hard-pressed families nationwide face an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis.

The bosses of Shell, BP and National Grid are among the top earners of seven energy and utility firms in the FTSE 100 index of leading companies on the stock market.

The five energy and power companies make up £23million of the total, and two water companies make up £7million.

Ben van Beurden, the Dutch chief executive of Shell, made £6.2million in pay and bonuses. His arch rival, Bernard Looney at BP, who sparked fury when he described the oil giant as a ‘cash machine’, netted almost £4.5million last year. John Pettigrew, who is in charge of National Grid, which operates the electricity transmission network, pocketed £6.5million.

Revelations of the largesse showered on energy chiefs will infuriate Britain’s struggling families, who learned on Friday that the average energy bill will rise in October to £3,549, an …