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Energy and commoditiesUnited Kingdom

Healey's Budget announces a £100 payment for 20 million households to help with energy bills

44 articles from 11 sources
First reported on Tuesday 27 October 2026 at 18:30 EDT by The Independent·Latest article on Monday 2 November 2026 at 06:09 EST

Summary

Chancellor John Healey said the 'breathing space' Budget will move toward lowering energy costs for good, The Independent and the Evening Standard reported on Tuesday 27 October, and on Wednesday 28 October Healey pledged £100 for millions of households in England in council tax bands A to D, at a cost of £2.6 billion, with the devolved nations to receive 'their share', a payment that will 'barely dent' increases forecast for January, the two outlets reported. The Scottish Government is to pass on the payment and the Northern Ireland finance minister, O'Dowd, asked officials to explore how the money could be delivered without a Stormont budget, the two outlets reported. The Guardian reported that Healey was accused of a 'complete failure' to target energy bill support at those most in need, the Resolution Foundation saying the poorest half of households will gain just £14 more than the £144 received by the richest half. Andy Burnham defended the payment as 'real help', the Evening Standard and The Independent reported, and on Friday 30 October Chronicle Live reported that households in England who do not qualify could get help from a £100 million discretionary fund, before the Liverpool Echo reported on Monday 2 November new analysis from Policy in Practice showing that more than 838,000 low-income households will miss out on the payment because they live in council tax bands E to H.

Latest: More than 838,000 low-income households will miss out on the £100 Household Energy Payment because they live in council tax bands E to H, new analysis from Policy in Practice shows, the Liverpool Echo reported, the Birmingham Mail describing them as households on Council Tax support, while the Manchester Evening News and the Birmingham Mail reported that some households in bands A to D need to claim the payment.

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How it unfolded

  1. Monday 2 November

    More than 838,000 low-income households will miss out on the £100 Household Energy Payment because they live in council tax bands E to H, new analysis from Policy in Practice shows, the Liverpool Echo reported, the Birmingham Mail describing them as households on Council Tax support, while the Manchester Evening News and the Birmingham Mail reported that some households in bands A to D need to claim the payment.

  2. Friday 30 October

    Andy Burnham spoke out on the £100 energy payment coming to 20 million households in council tax bands A to D in January, defending the Budget support amid criticism it will barely dent rising bills, Chronicle Live and the Manchester Evening News reported, Chronicle Live adding that households in England who do not qualify could receive help through an additional £100 million government discretionary fund, with local councils setting their own eligibility criteria.

  3. Thursday 29 October

    Andy Burnham defended the £100 energy payment as 'real help' in the face of soaring bills, the Evening Standard and The Independent reported, after critics blasted a 'terribly targeted' Budget, according to the Manchester Evening News, while The Guardian reported the Resolution Foundation's verdict that the poorest half of households will gain just £14 more than the £144 received by the richest half, and O'Dowd, wanting the payments to reach householders in Northern Ireland, asked officials to explore how the money could be delivered without a Stormont budget.

  4. Wednesday 28 October

    The Chancellor pledged in the Budget £100 for millions of households in England, with the devolved nations to receive 'their share', the payment reaching households in council tax bands A to D at a cost of £2.6 billion, which will 'barely dent' increases forecast for January, the Evening Standard and The Independent reported, after the Financial Times reported that Healey is to take aim at energy costs, and the Evening Standard reported that the Scottish Government is to pass on the payment.

  5. Tuesday 27 October

    Chancellor John Healey said the 'breathing space' Budget will move toward lowering energy costs for good, Healey being expected to announce a freeze in fuel duty and measures to decouple gas and electricity prices, The Independent and the Evening Standard reported, The Independent adding that in an eve-of-Budget video message the chancellor promised Britons 'breathing space today, and fresh hope for the future'.

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