Bringing down energy bills is "by far" the public's top priority for this week's Budget, according to new research by More in Common. The Prime Minister has been warned that Wednesday's Budget will be the "biggest test yet" of whether he can "make a real difference to people's lives".
Public calls for action on energy costs
Slashing the cost of energy was named as a top wish by nearly six out of 10 Britons (58%). This came well ahead of investing in public services such as the NHS (33%) and cutting taxes (32%). It was the top priority for people who voted Conservative (60%), Reform UK (54%), Labour (52%) and Liberal Democrat (49%) at the last election.
The research, commissioned by Electrify Britain – a campaign by leading energy companies which calls for a "national upgrade" to affordable electric technologies – found Britons had low expectations that Labour will deliver. Fewer than one in 10 people (9%) expect the Budget will include action that reduces their energy bills – and most fear the opposite.
Widespread pessimism over bill reductions
Nearly eight out of 10 (77%) expect the Budget will result in their bills climbing even higher. This was the case for 83% of 2024 Reform voters. With the January price cap widely expected to rise to around £2,000 a year, 71% of respondents said this would be unaffordable for them. More than a third (36%) were not sure they could cope or knew they could not.
More than half of Britons support the VAT cut on electricity bills (54%), but nearly two in three (64%) say it will make no real difference to their finances. On average, Britons said a typical bill "would need to fall to around £1,080 a year to feel affordable". Nearly half of people (45%) supported councils funding grants or vouchers for heat pumps, with just 21% opposing this.
Experts urge support for squeezed middle
Luke Tryl of More in Common, said: "The upcoming Budget is shaping up to be the biggest test yet of whether Andy Burnham's premiership can make a real difference to people's lives, and energy bills are at the heart of that test."
He added: "One thing that will be crucial is ensuring that support reaches beyond just the lowest earners. Worry about bills now runs right across the income spectrum. The middle-income voters we spoke to feel they are struggling but never qualify for help. If support takes the form of a narrowly-targeted package, it risks missing that growing squeezed middle altogether. It would deepen the sense that the social contract is broken: you work hard and do the right thing, but when you need help, it isn't there for you."
Camilla Born, chief executive of Electrify Britain, said: "In times like these, the Government should be doubling down – not easing off – on helping people get their hands on bill-cutting tech like solar panels, batteries and electric heating."
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: "To give families some breathing space, we cut VAT on electricity bills from October, on top of the £150 of costs we removed from bills earlier this year, and we will keep looking at what more we can do to protect families from unaffordable bills."
