Cutting energy bills should be John Healey’s top priority, new poll finds

It came above increasing funding for the NHS (19 per cent) and keeping taxes down (15 per cent), the poll, by Survation, found.

Cutting energy costs also topped reducing welfare spending (10%) and increasing defence spending (9%)

The research was conducted for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition and revealed that two thirds of adults were worried about paying energy bills if prices rise again, as expected, in the New Year.

Just under six in ten felt that the Government was doing enough to help homes struggling with energy costs this winter.

Despite this, the removal of VAT from electricity bills – a step Andy Burnham took on his first full day as Prime Minister – has proved the most popular measure to date, with just under half of the 1,174 adults surveyed citing it.

This was closely followed by the Winter Fuel Payment, that helps pensions with heating costs, and the energy price cap, that limits energy unit prices.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, urged the Chancellor to leave the £15b Warm Homes Plan intact. The scheme is intended to improve homes, lowering emissions and bills.

But it has been reported that £2.7b of this, intended to subsidise heat pumps, could be cut to allow extra spending on defence.

Mr Francis said that rising bills had been driven “almost entirely” by gas, with wholesale costs nearly tripling in the last year.

He said: “People know this winter will be tough and they want to see the Chancellor act to help them with high energy bills.

“There are a range of options available to the Chancellor, but the reality is that he will have to pull every lever available to the Government to help address voters’ concerns.

“While the Chancellor needs to provide more support this winter, he must also take the long view. This includes funding the flagship Warm Homes Plan in full. And it also includes reducing the country’s over-reliance on gas.

“Our exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices has caused the second energy crisis in five years and it is driving up bills again this winter.

“No amount of drilling in the North Sea will change that, because the gas is sold on markets and affected by international events.”

Priorities given by those surveyed:

1. Reducing the cost of energy (23%)
2. Increasing funding for the NHS (19%)
3. Keeping taxes down (15%)
4. Supporting economic growth and jobs (11%)
5. Reducing welfare spending (10%)
6. Increasing defence spending (9%)
7. Reducing government borrowing (5%)
8. Building more homes (5%)