Burnham cuts VAT on household electricity bills; UK borrows less than expected in June – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news

The removal of VAT from electricity bills is positive but it does not address the scale of the problem that British households are facing, campaigners at the End Fuel Poverty Coalition have said.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the group, said:

Removing VAT from electricity bills is a positive statement of intent by the new administration. But it does not address the scale of what households are facing, with millions still left paying an unaffordable share of their income on energy and record levels of energy debt built up over successive winters of high bills.

The prime minister’s next move must be to go even further on bringing down the cost of energy and bringing in increased levels of targeted support for those who need it most: an enhanced warm home discount, reformed cold weather payments and an energy debt relief scheme.

This breathing space is also not a cure. The only way to bring bills down for good is to change how they are set. That means breaking the link between gas and electricity prices, tackling excess profits in the energy industry and ending our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets through homegrown renewables and more energy efficient homes.

Cutting VAT gives immediate relief to homes and businesses and is a very welcome first step to making electricity as cheap as possible. Electrifying our economy is the way we take advantage of cheap, homegrown renewable power to cut bills, reduce energy dependence and boost economic growth.

There is continued pressure on wholesale prices, driven by the situation in the Middle East, meaning it is likely that the October 1 price cap will increase.

Some supplier predictions suggest the next price cap could rise 5% from October for a household with both gas and electricity, so this tax change could take the sting out of a potential increase.

Westminster has not been working for people for too long, with families struggling with the cost of living.

That needs to change. I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that’s what I’m announcing on my second day as prime minister.

Fiscal control is the first duty of any chancellor. It is mine. And fiscal credibility is the bedrock for economic stability and for national security, and you heard the prime minister this afternoon say, in this more dangerous world, we will meet our commitments on defence to our international allies…

7am BST: ONS Labour market figures and public finances

Today: New PM Andy Burnham to announce cost of living measures
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