<p>Cash to 20m households part of package to help cut energy bills and ease cost-of-living crisis</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/oct/28/budget-2026-key-points-john-healey">Budget 2026: key points at a glance</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/oct/28/budget-2026-latest-updates-john-healey-andy-burnham-labour-uk-politics">Budget 2026 live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>John Healey promised to steer Britain through “global economic storms,” as he announced a package of measures to cut consumers’ energy bills in his first budget.</p><p>The chancellor said 20m households in council tax bands A to D would receive a £100 payment – a measure he said would cost £2.6bn. A VAT cut on electricity bills will be extended to next July, added Healey.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/oct/28/budget-2026-john-healey-offers-100-payment-to-households-to-help-navigate-global-economic-storms">Continue reading...</a>