Starmer signals support for household bills next winter amid energy price shock

Any taxpayer-funded financial help will be likely to go to poorest households, rather than to everyone, PM indicates

Ministers are looking at providing support for household bills next winter, Keir Starmer said, as he suggested the energy price shock unleashed by the Iran conflict could continue for months to come.

The prime minister indicated he would prefer to focus any taxpayer-funded help on the poorest households, rather than an expensive universal bailout, ahead of an emergency meeting on the economic fallout of the Middle East crisis.