British Gas Energy Trust: New Prime Minister must back plan to end fuel poverty

The British Gas Energy Trust has today called on the Prime Minister Andy Burnham to adopt a bold, place-based plan to end fuel poverty, setting out five national priorities to improve living standards and deliver warm homes across Britain.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Trust outlines how tackling fuel poverty can support the Government’s mission for economic growth and healthier communities in every postcode.

The accompanying policy paper highlights fuel poverty as one of the most significant barriers to raising living standards, with millions of households continuing to struggle with unaffordable energy costs.

The Trust is urging Government to seize what it describes as a “defining opportunity” to address fuel poverty as a national mission, positioning action not only as a social necessity but as a driver of economic growth, public health improvement and reduced pressure on public services.

Drawing on frontline evidence from its funded partners, the Trust highlights the scale and complexity of need. In 2025 alone, it supported more than 72,000 individuals, distributed over £14.3 million in grants, and helped households manage or write off tens of millions in debt. Its programmes show that combining debt relief with advice and community-based support delivers lasting improvements in financial stability and wellbeing.

The Trust’s proposal centres on five key priorities for Government:

• Adopting a national mission to end fuel poverty, backed by cross-government leadership and accountability.
• Delivering an energy affordability guarantee through a social tariff and a national energy debt strategy.
• Ensuring every household can access a warm, energy-efficient home through long-term investment in housing and retrofit.
• Empowering local leaders to deliver place-based solutions tailored to community needs.
• Investing in trusted community organisations providing advice, support and crisis prevention services.

They argue that fuel poverty is not solely an energy issue, but one that sits at the intersection of income, housing, health and inequality. It warns that without coordinated national action, millions will remain locked out of economic participation while demand on the NHS and local services continues to rise.

The Trust is calling for partnership between Government, industry, local leaders and the voluntary sector to deliver this agenda, emphasising that ending fuel poverty should be seen as an investment in the country’s future rather than a cost.

It believes that with the right leadership and commitment, ending fuel poverty within a generation can become one of the defining achievements of this Parliament.

In an update Andy Burnham has been reported saying that he would cut VAT on electric bills saving some money for people although for many comes to just under £50 a year saving its better than nothing but could go much further.

Read the full proposal here.