Chancellor says he will ask Ofgem to remove ‘unfair and outdated’ fixed daily fee, and is also reportedly looking to scrap it from electricity bills Budget 2026 live – latest updates What to expect from the budget: who wins, who pays? John Healey will abolish standing charges on gas bills for 23m homes to help almost two-thirds of households save an average of £45 a year, and will also reportedly consider steps to remove standing charges on electricity bills. The chancellor set out plans to end the “unfair and outdated practice” of applying daily standing charges to gas bills on the morning of his first budget, alongside a series of measures to help ease wider cost of living pressures. Continue reading...