Energy bills hit £2,074 a year for a typical household on standard variable tariff in October 2024. That is 54% higher than 2021. Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor now running for No10, has made cutting those bills a centrepiece of his first-day agenda, a promise that will land on doormats already thick with letters from Ofgem.
As reported by The i Paper, Burnham is planning to target energy bills alongside bus fares and student loans in his first days at No10. The question for homeowners is not whether he means it, but what he can actually do.
Why energy bills are the front door to No10
Burnham is not the first politician to promise cheaper energy. The difference is he is framing it as a day-one priority, not a long-term ambition. That tells you something: energy costs have moved from a technical policy area to a kitchen-table election issue. Ofgem’s price cap has risen three times in 2024 alone. The average household now spends £173 a month on gas and electricity, more than council tax in many areas.
The detail, so far, is thin. Burnham has suggested a social tariff for vulnerable households and a reduction in standing charges, which hit 60p a day for electricity and 30p for gas regardless of usage. For a 3-bed semi using 12,000 kWh of gas and 2,900 kWh of electricity, standing charges alone add £329 a year. Cutting them would save every household money, but it shifts cost onto the taxpayer or other bill-payers. That is the kind of trade-off that gets buried in a manifesto.
What it means for your EPC and home upgrades
Here is where the Axiom reader needs to be clear-eyed. Burnham’s plan, as reported, focuses on bills, not on the fabric of homes. There is no mention of expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which currently offers £7,500 for a heat pump, or of reinstating the Green Homes Grant. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme, which funds insulation for low-income households, remains in place but is oversubscribed in many regions.
The catch is that bill reductions without efficiency improvements are a sticking plaster. A home with an EPC rating of D or E leaks heat so fast that even a 10% cut in unit prices saves only £80–£150 a year. The real savings, £500–£1,000 annually, come from cavity wall insulation, loft top-ups and draught-proofing. Those upgrades also lift EPC ratings, which become mandatory for rental properties by 2028 and are increasingly factored into mortgage rates.
Energy Saving Trust data show that a typical semi-detached house can save £395 a year by insulating the loft and cavity walls. That is more than any price-cap cut Burnham could deliver in his first 100 days.
What to do now, don’t wait for Whitehall
Homeowners should treat Burnham’s pledge as a political signal, not a financial plan. The smartest move is to act on what is available today. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is open until 2028. ECO4 grants are income-assessed but cover cavity wall and solid wall insulation. For those outside the income thresholds, individual measures like draught-proofing cost £200–£300 and pay back within two winters.
Ofgem’s price cap will be reviewed again in February 2025. If Burnham enters No10, he may accelerate the social tariff consultation that the current government has stalled. But the machinery of energy policy moves slowly, and your home’s heat loss moves fast. Insulate now, apply for grants now, and treat any future bill cut as a bonus, not a plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
He could change standing charges or introduce a social tariff via Ofgem, but these require legislation or regulatory change. The process typically takes months, not days. Homeowners should not delay upgrades expecting immediate relief.
Not directly. His statements focus on bills, not home upgrade funding. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme and ECO4 remain unchanged until a new government issues a budget. Applying now is the safest bet.
