Burnham considering scrapping standing charges to ease energy bills

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Burnham considering scrapping standing charges to ease energy bills Harriette Boucher & Athena Stavrou Wednesday 21 October 2026 13:07 BST Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover Burnham suggests government could scrap standing charges from gas bills Ministers are considering whether standing charges can be eliminated from domestic gas bills to help ease cost pressures on UK households, Andy Burnham has stated. The prime minister told the Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions that he had instructed Chancellor John Healey and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh to evaluate scrapping the fees and update MPs as soon as possible. Mr Burnham was questioned regarding the Government’s decision to grant approval for the Jackdaw gas field . He argued that he made a ruling because the previous Tory government "messed up". But he claimed that the Jackdaw decision would allow the government to "build a bridge to a renewable future” as the resources gained from the gas field “will allow us to invest in renewables, bring forward clean energy and... substantially de-link gas and electricity prices so that we can bring bills down.” Meanwhile, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch attacked the Labour Government for "dithering" for two-and-a-half years before approving Jackdaw, as she urged Labour to revoke its ban on all new oil and gas licences. In full PMQs latest: Burnham proposes removing standing charges from energy bills after Jackdaw green light