Andy Burnham to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills from October 1

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a tax cut to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills from October 1.The 5 per cent VAT rate currently on household electricity will be reduced to 0 per cent in the Autumn.As one of the first new changes made by the new Prime Minister, Mr Burnham said the measure would 'give people breathing space' and 'put more money in people's pockets.'The lost tax revenue will be made up by the cancellation of the Digital ID Programme, which Mr Burnham said yesterday would save an estimated £850million this financial year.The government has said the cut will reduce a typical annual bill by around £45 and lower inflation by a percentage point. It is the first of several major announcements expected today.However, there have been claims that there is a £250million black hole in Burnham's budget and questions have been raised over whether the scrapping of digital ID would be enough fill the gap left by the VAT cut. But the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, the former Defence Secretary John Healey, 66, said the announcement will 'provide some reassurance this winter.'He added: 'For too long, too many people have struggled with the cost of living.'Today's energy tax cut will give families some breathing room on bills, and provide some reassurance this winter. The household electricity VAT tax cut is the first major economic policy announced by new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said the measure would 'give people breathing space' New Chancellor John Healey said: 'This measure is funded this year from cancelling the Digital ID programme, and it will help bring down inflation while supporting households in every postcode.''This measure is funded this year from cancelling the Digital ID programme, and it will help bring down inflation while supporting households in every postcode.'The cost of living has been brought front and centre from the get-go of this brand new government.Mr Burnham said in his very first speech as Prime Minister yesterday: 'Westminster has not been working for people for too long, with families struggling with the cost of living. That needs to change.'I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that's what I'm announcing on my second day as Prime Minister.'We're taking immediate action to cut taxes on energy bills, put more money in people's pockets and bring back hope.'The new PM revealed his plans to scrap Keir Starmer's controversial £1.8billion digital ID scheme over the weekend.The savings made here were meant to pay for the VAT cut, but last year the Office for Budget Responsibility said 'no specific savings' had been found to fund Sir Keir's flagship ID programme.The budget watchdog said: 'The implementation of digital ID cards is provisionally forecast to cost £1.8bn in total over the next three years, split across £0.5bn RDEL and £1.3bn CDEL.'The Government has announced its intention to meet the costs of this through existing DEL budgets, however no specific savings have yet been identified.'Despite this damning report, new Business Secretary Johnathan Reynolds defended the VAT cut and told Sky News: 'It's about the Government's priorities.'It's about showing we understand people need some breathing space, the pressure we are under. And being able to make an announcement like this I think is a real statement of intent.''We can use the switch spend from not going ahead with digital ID to fund it, and of course the longer-term decision, like any other decision, is for the Budget.'The cuts to VAT have come under criticism from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who said the cuts don't go far enough.Speaking to BBC Breakfast this morning, Davey said: 'I don't think it's the best way to help people with energy bills and it doesn't go far enough, but at least it's something, isn't it.'He also called for Burnham to produce a budget 'as soon as possible' so that people can see 'the real Mr Burnham'. Financial expert April LaRusse, who is head of investments specialists at Insight Investments, was similarly critical of the £45 annual saving.She said the new measure was 'probably not enough by itself', though it was 'moving in the right direction'.The VAT cuts will help some more than others - high electricity users will see the biggest drop in costs when the 5 per cent reduction kicks in.This could mean larger homes see significant decreases in bills, or vulnerable people who use a lot of electricity for medical equipment.The move to cut household electricity VAT has been floated through government before by Mr Healey's predecessor Rachel Reeves, but instead she reduced energy bills by removing a green levy and moving others onto general taxation.Mr Healey's appointment to No. 11 came as a shock to Westminster and signals a likely move to increase defence spending.The former Defence Secretary crashed out of the cabinet in June and issued an exoriating criticism of Starmer's defence spending pledges in his resignation letter.He said his monetary policy on defending the UK fell 'well short of what is required and 'could make the country less safe'.But JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned Andy Burnham against raising taxes on banks to raise funding for spending projects.He added that it could have adverse consequences for investment and he threatened changes could potentially affect his own company's plans for a new £3billion London headquarters.Meanwhile, the UK public debt has been creeping up to £3trillion and unemployment has been stuck at 4.9 per cent ahead of Mr Burnham's arrival.Mr Burnham's government shake-up has sparked much speculation as to what direction the new Labour PM is planning to take the UK.Ed Miliband, who was previously a favourite to take the Chancellor job, has now been made Foreign Secretary - a likely flashpoint with Donald Trump over net zero and migration.Former Deputy PM and Justice Secretary David Lammy has also been sent back to the back benches, replaced by Alex Norris for his latter role.Wes Streeting, a previous frontrunner to be Labour leader, now takes his place as Defence Secretary, replacing Dan Jarvis after just five weeks.Another pretender to the Labour throne, Angela Rayner, has now re-entered government in her old role as Housing Secretary - from which she had to resign over a scandalous £40,000 underpayment of stamp duty on a property she owns. Shabana Mahmood retains her position as Home Secretary while Louise Haigh - who was forced to resign as Transport Secretary over a historical fraud conviction - will sit as First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to force through Mr Burnham's agenda.Yvette Cooper was shifted over from being Foreign Secretary to move into Mr Streeting's old role as Health Secretary.Mr Burnham appears to have entirely done away with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology - removing Liz Kendall as its head and apparently merging its function with the Department of Business and Trade, now headed by Jonathan Reynolds, who replaced Peter Kyle.This is a breaking news story; more to follow.