UK Budget: Healey promises £100 energy payment to 20 million households

UK Chancellor John Healey used his first budget to announce a £100 payment for 20 million households in council tax bands A to D, costing £2.6bn, to ease energy bills. He extended a VAT cut on electricity, cancelled planned fuel duty rises and earlier pledged to abolish the gas standing charge. He blamed the Middle East war for a weaker outlook.