The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, says he has asked the Chancellor, John Healey, and the Energy Secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, to look at removing standing charges from gas bills.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions on 21 October, Burnham said he had asked them to "look at whether we can remove standing charges from gas bills" and to report back to the Commons at the earliest opportunity, STV and LBC report.
No cost has been given. The government has not said whether any measure would be in the Budget on 28 October.
Burnham made the announcement while defending the government's approval of the Jackdaw gas field against the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch. He said the decision would allow the government "to do more to help people with bills" and, in this Parliament, to "substantially delink gas and electricity prices". He also said the previous Conservative government had "messed up" the Jackdaw process, which caused the delay.
LBC reports that a minister admitted the Jackdaw approval will not make bills cheaper. The Prime Minister's claims about what the decision will mean for bills have not been independently checked.