Should the Budget use taxpayers’ money to scrap gas standing charges?
Gas standing charges are not abolished: under Ofgem's price cap for October to December 2026, the average is 29.68p a day, about £108 a year, for direct debit customers. Electricity's is higher at 54.83p a day, and electricity VAT was cut to 0% from October 2026. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has asked the Chancellor and Energy Secretary to examine removing gas standing charges. Removing them would not erase the underlying network and supplier costs, which would shift to unit rates or taxpayers.
47 Opinions
The level of taxpayer funding going in to the energy sector, primarily in support of solar and wind power systems that simply don't work without huge subsidies, is already outrageous and have led to the UK having the highest energy costs in the world. The fact these subsidies are predicted to continue rising quite dramatically demonstrates the madness of pursuing renewables. Removing these subsidies would dramatically reduce energy costs in a meaningful way, helping everyone.
The question could have been worded better
If they only increase rates in another way, then no; the government must find a way to target help to those hardest hit by energy prices in another way.
We should have targeted help for struggling households who suffer from energy insecurity rather than a blanket shift that will be picked up by the taxpayer.
The standing charge is there to pay for infrastructure upgrades - take it from there it will only end up somewhere else.
If we're going to spend public money intervening in the energy market, we should be fixing the much more expensive electricity charges first.
Use the money saved by deporting all the illegal immigrants & foreign criminals currently in the U.K, also stop housing them & giving them pocket money etc.
The whole industry needs overhauling.
Use MPs pensions. How about that?
Not an appropriate Budget measure it only shifts costs for the appearance of doing something…..so perhaps it is! The Utility industry is artful & corrupt. Relies on customers to fund their cash flow & over estimates consumption to give them a huge buffer. The standing charges should be abolished but we need a properly independent enquiry into business practices. Billing should be quarterly & if they over estimate & proved wrong by the Ombudsman then compensation should hurt.