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Consumer Energy Bills: Government Support
27 January 2026
Lead MP
Luke Taylor
Sutton and Cheam
LD
Responding Minister
Martin McCluskey
Tags
TaxationClimate
Word Count: 4845
Other Contributors: 7
At a Glance
Luke Taylor raised concerns about consumer energy bills: government support in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The Government needs to take immediate action and go further on measures beyond what was outlined last week. The warm homes plan is welcome, but more must be done quickly to address the issue.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
More than 12 million households are struggling with high energy bills. The End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimated that 4,950 excess winter deaths in the UK were caused by living in cold homes during the first chaotic winter of 2022-23.
Adam Dance
Con
Yeovil
A constituent of his was having energy retrofit work carried out by Consumer Energy Solutions under the ECO4 scheme, which has since gone into administration. He agrees that the Government need to ensure greater consumer protections against installers’ incompetence and incompletions. Raised the issue of an ECO project affecting one of his constituents and asked for details to be sent in writing.
Afzal Khan
Lab
Manchester Rusholme
Over 6,000 households in his constituency are living in fuel poverty. The warm homes plan will deliver targeted support for those living in fuel-poor households and provide them with the means to upgrade their homes. Highlighted that the warm homes plan is a vital step in addressing long-term energy affordability issues.
Amanda Martin
Lab
Portsmouth North
She hosted a cost-of-living coffee morning in her community, bringing together various stakeholders. She welcomes the Government’s warm homes plan but asks how it will build trust and complement local initiatives to ensure energy bill support meets residents' needs. Commended for arranging a coffee morning and energy support event.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
About 39% to 40% of households in Northern Ireland are classed as being in fuel poverty, meaning that they spend more than 10% of their income on energy just to keep their homes warm. He agrees that the Government must do more.
Honiton and Sidmouth
He points out the absence of Reform MPs and argues for energy independence, noting the £60 billion increase in borrowing due to the energy price guarantee during the Truss-Kwarteng mini-Budget.
Sarah Gibson
Con
Chippenham
Welcomed the warm homes plan but expressed concern about lack of scrutiny and accountability, questioning whether heat pumps should be installed when airtightness and insulation would be more appropriate first.
Unnamed MP
Con/Lab/Other
Sutton and Cheam
Spoke about the need for a social tariff, which requires reliable data for proper targeting.
Government Response
Martin McCluskey
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Government Response
Addressed concerns raised by MPs, reaffirmed the government's commitment to tackling energy affordability, highlighted record levels of wind and solar power generation, proposed expanding the warm home discount scheme, announced a £150 rebate on energy bills from April 2026, and outlined plans for consumer loans and finance organisations to support retrofitting homes. Announced plans to roll out upgrades to up to 5 million homes by 2030, saving households hundreds of pounds on energy bills. Provided £5 billion of targeted support for low-income households through free upgrades including heat pumps, solar panels and batteries. Introduced new minimum energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector and social rented sector, aiming to save renters hundreds of pounds a year. Addressed consumer debt issues with Ofgem’s updated debt strategy, proposing a debt relief scheme. Conducting a cost allocation and recovery review to look at how costs on energy bills can be recovered in the future, ensuring progressivity is at the heart of the way people pay for their energy.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.