A plan to ensure energy is affordable for all

‘Every household should be able to afford the energy essentials: enough warmth to survive a winter; enough electricity to switch on the lights and run a fridge.’ Photograph: Jacob King/PA

Nils Pratley thinks that the secretary of state, Miatta Fahnbulleh, should “keep things simple” and develop a targeted social tariff to protect vulnerable households from surging energy bills (The UK energy secretary is flirting with a bad idea for bills – the ‘rising block tariff, 14 October). Unfortunately, there is nothing simple about such a scheme.

Pratley’s proposal would mean creating a new benefits system inside our privatised energy industry. If the interminable debates about our current benefits system were not enough to put him off, we can look to the failing social care system to see where it might lead. Andy Burnham has made it his life’s mission to dismantle this lottery that can strip pensioners of their savings and the family home. Just as he now plans a universal public provision of adult social care, we at the New Economics Foundation have such a plan for energy.