The Budget document says electricity standing charges will be reformed, with details next year. It does not announce a cut. That leaves Martin Lewis's account of Healey signalling an equivalent cut unconfirmed.
The document also sets out an Energy Debt Circuit Breaker. The Treasury says it will save all billpayers around £30 by 2030. The document says household energy debt has almost tripled to over £5bn as of the second quarter of 2026.
Under the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, 10,000 energy-intensive manufacturers will get an electricity discount of 20% to 25% from April 2027, with a back payment for 2026-27.
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition says the circuit breaker includes a one-off targeted debt relief scheme, subject to consultation next year. It was critical of the package overall.
"The additional £100 of energy support announced in the Budget is welcome, but it falls far short of addressing the scale of the hardship facing low-income households"
Jess Britton of UKERC told Carbon Brief that "simply moving [electricity standing] charges on to unit costs risks disincentivising electrification". Carbon Brief reports forecasts suggesting bills could rise by about a quarter, some £470, to around £2,200 a year.