# Bringing down household bills must be a priority for Andy Burnham

By Simon Francis — 2026-07-20

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “The new Prime Minister takes office with millions of households paying an unaffordable share of their income on energy, and his previous promise that everything starts with a good home will now be tested against that reality.

“Bringing down bills must be a priority for the his first weeks as well as at the heart of the long-term plan for Britain. That means an enhanced Warm Home Discount, a funded energy debt relief scheme and protections for off-gas-grid households, alongside a permanent social tariff at the heart of the Energy Independence Bill.

“The PM’s circuit breaker must also be an opportunity to change how energy bills are set. Devolving control of energy will count for nothing unless it comes with reform to break the link between gas and electricity prices and a fair overhaul of the levies on bills.

“Long-term energy security cannot rely on a declining North Sea, where firms have already extracted 90 per cent of commercially viable gas while posting billions in profits. The route to lower bills for good is homegrown renewables, better energy efficiency for buildings and heat pumps within reach of every household.”

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