A portion of gas and electric bills should be free to cover the basic essentials, according to anti-fuel poverty campaigners. 

The idea is that a band of energy each month is allocated to each household free to cover lights and heating in cold weather and the cost of keeping a fridge on. 

Fuel Poverty Action, who are behind the campaign, say it would be paid for by high use households who use more than they need and by a windfall tax on energy giants’ profits when they are high. 

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The group says 10,000 die in the UK as a result of cold homes and action is needed to help those most at risk. 

A petition, on Change.org, has so far gathered 400,000 signatures. 

The plan would abolish the standing charges on bills, which the campaigners say is unavoidable for customers, with no way to lower it through being careful with energy usage. 

Ruth London, of Fuel Poverty Action, said: “The standing charge is even higher in some parts of the country, and it mounts up frighteningly quickly.  

“People on prepayment meters are often forced to find money to pay this charge before they can even turn the lights on. People who cut their use down to the bone in a bedsit end up paying more per unit of energy than those who are heating a mansion. 

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“Energy For All would reverse this perverse system that incentivises waste and clobbers the people who can least afford it.

"It would finally give energy security where we most need it - at home. And it would press the Government to finally fix the UK’s notoriously badly insulated housing and turn to cheaper, more sustainable sources of energy, like solar power and wind.” 

The campaigners want a transformation in the way energy is paid for and how customers are charged, especially following concerns that the Ofgem energy price cap will increase again in October.

The petition states: “At present, we pay more per unit of gas or electricity if we use less of it.  

“At present, we pay a high standing charge even when we use very little energy, or none at all.    

“Our new pricing system, Energy for All, would eliminate that injustice and turn pricing right side up.”