# Healey asks Ofgem to scrap gas standing fees for 23 million homes

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/john-healey-to-end-standing-charges-on-gas-bills-for-23m-homes/
- Published: 2026-10-28T07:32:30+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T07:47:15+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/oct/28/john-healey-to-end-standing-charges-on-gas-bills-ofgem-budget
- Topics: Business, Software, Technology

## Key points

- Healey plans to ask Ofgem to abolish gas standing charges.
- The change could affect 23 million homes.
- Around 60% of account holders may save £45 a year.

## Summary

John Healey says he will ask Great Britain’s energy regulator, Ofgem, to abolish gas standing charges for 23 million homes in 2027 or as soon as possible afterwards. The fixed daily fee applies regardless of how much gas a household uses; the government says removing it would make bills fairer and reduce costs for many households.

Standing charges currently cost a typical household £108 a year, while the Treasury estimates that 60% of account-holding households would save an average of £45 annually. The proposal follows a recent VAT cut on electricity bills, which lowered the energy price cap by £45 a year from October. The government has also approved the Jackdaw North Sea gasfield and announced an energy wealth fund for investment in cleaner power.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.