BURNHAM CONSIDERS £130 ANNUAL ENERGY BILL REDUCTION

Andy Burnham is reportedly considering proposals to reduce household energy bills by £130 annually, according to reports. Burnham takes office as Prime Minister on Monday. The measures under consideration would alter how household gas is charged and remove certain levies from bills, whilst making electricity cheaper relative to gas to encourage uptake of heat pumps.

The proposals aim to address the cost-of-living pressures that have affected UK households over the past decade. Nearly two decades of stagnant wages have contributed to reduced affordability, according to reporting. Andrew Sissons, director of Nesta's sustainable future project, stated that removing legacy policy costs from electricity bills would make clean heating options more financially attractive. Sissons told the Guardian that the proposed reforms would deliver approximately £130 in annual relief for most UK households whilst making heat pumps the cheapest heating option available.

Burnham has stated his determination to make essentials more affordable for households following periods dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent cost-of-living crisis. The incoming Prime Minister has indicated that avoiding further political instability is a priority, citing the UK's experience of multiple Prime Ministers over the preceding decade. Burnham is scheduled to chair his first Cabinet meeting following his assumption of office.