GB vitality should save households cash on payments to be a hit, say MPs and voters

The government has been urged to ensure Great British Energy cuts household bills for struggling families – after a poll showed just a third of voters thought it would make any difference.

In an exclusive poll for the Mirror, three quarters of MPs – and two thirds of the public – believe GB Energy will only be a success if it reduces Brits’ energy bills.

It comes as pensioners are braced for a cold winter without the fuel allowance, which has been withdrawn from all but the poorest.

Some 62% of MPs were optimistic that the state-owned energy firm will actually lower people’s bills – but the public are more sceptical, with just 31% believing it’ll make any difference.

The Common Wealth think tank, who commissioned the poll, argue the new public company should be “genuinely ambitious” – and focus on reducing energy bills to protect low-income households.

In August, Common Wealth suggested GB Energy could offer a ‘retail arm’, to allow the publicly owned company to supply energy directly to households. This would allow for the benefits to be passed on directly to customers.

Mathew Lawrence, Director of Common Wealth, said: ” Labour voters believe GB Energy could be a vehicle for lower bills.

“But translating clean power into cheaper energy will require a step change in investment and delivery of a social tariff pricing system, under which low and middle income households would pay less.”