Ahead of the Chancellor’s first Budget on 28 October, bringing down energy bills is by far the public’s top priority. But few Britons expect the Budget to deliver this, and most think it will push their bills up.

Based on a survey of 2,015 respondents and focus groups with Labour-Reform swing voters in the Chancellor’s constituency of Rawmarsh and Conisbrough in Yorkshire and Labour-Green swing voters in the Energy Secretary’s constituency of Peckham, this report outlines the impacts high energy bills continue to have on Britons as we head into a Winter where costs are expected to rise even further.

As the energy price cap looks set to top £2,000, worry about bills is now turning into fear. The public wants action on bills above all else, but few have faith that this help will arrive.

The report also examines public perceptions of Andy Burnham’s record on energy bills and how this compares with Keir Starmer, reactions to the cutting of VAT on electricity and proposals for public ownership, and public appetite for green technologies like heat pumps and solar panels.

Key findings include:

• 58 per cent say bringing down energy bills should be the Budget’s top priority, the top choice for 2024 Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem and Reform voters alike.
• Just 9 per cent expect the Budget to reduce their bills, while 77 per cent expect action that will increase them.
• 71 per cent say a price cap of just over £2,000 would be unaffordable, and more than a third (36 per cent) are not sure they could cope or know they could not with bills this expensive.
• 45 per cent think Burnham understands the pressure bills put on people (compared with 23 per cent for Starmer), but 68 per cent say his approach feels like more of the same.
• Twice as many support as oppose councils funding grants or vouchers for those installing heat pumps (45 per cent vs 21 per cent).