A NORTH Yorkshire MP has backed further targeted support for households struggling with energy costs, saying she would be ‘surprised’ if ministers did not provide additional help in the future.
Speaking at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, defended the Government’s plans on energy but acknowledged concerns about the impact of rising bills on households.
She pointed to a recently announced VAT cut on energy bills and wider reforms to the electricity grid.
From Thursday, October 1, VAT on domestic electricity bills will fall from five per cent to zero per cent.
“We’re going to see the VAT cut off energy bills on Thursday. That’s an immediate improvement,” Ms Hume told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
“Businesses can’t get onto the grid. It’s holding back growth, and it’s keeping energy prices high.
“I think Andy Burnham is going to tackle the big stuff, but he’s also making a few adjustments for people at home looking at their energy bills.”
The cut in VAT comes after the energy regulator Ofgem announced a four per cent increase in the energy price cap from October to December 2026, as the colder autumn weather arrives.
The energy price cap rose by 13 per cent on average on July 1. Analysts have predicted a further rise of more than 20 per cent in January 2027.
On the topic of whether the Government was doing enough to help people struggling with energy bills and the cost of living on the North Yorkshire coast at the moment, the MP said: “I would imagine they’ll be looking at more help for households. I think there’ll be more targeted help.”
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Asked whether she was in favour of further Government help for struggling households, she said: “If it’s targeted, yes.”
She said: “I would be surprised if there wasn’t more targeted help down the line.”
The Government says energy suppliers are expected to pass the VAT cut savings directly on to customers, including those on fixed tariffs.
In his first Labour Conference speech as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham also promised more control for local mayors with a national energy plan, alongside the establishment of the publicly owned Great British Grid, which aims to challenge private sector operators.