The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called on Burnham to support a proposal to reverse a bank surcharge and use the proceeds to finance cuts to energy bills for some households. The TUC estimates that reversing the surcharge would raise roughly £9 billion over a four-year period.
The union umbrella group told Burnham the revenue from such a measure should be ring-fenced to provide targeted relief to households facing high energy costs. The move is framed as a way to direct additional public funds at energy bills without increasing borrowing or cutting other public services.
The TUC's figure — an estimated £9bn over four years — is central to its argument that banks could bear a higher tax burden in the short term to ease pressure on household finances. The unions have been lobbying political figures across the country to consider alternatives for funding relief as energy costs remain a prominent public concern.
Campaigners and union representatives presented their recommendation to Burnham as part of wider efforts to influence local and national leaders on how best to support households. The call adds to ongoing debates about tax policy, the role of the financial sector in addressing cost-of-living pressures, and how to prioritise assistance for those most in need.
There was no immediate public response from Burnham in the material provided by the TUC. Further detail on how any reversal of the surcharge would be implemented, or how recipients would be chosen for support, was not supplied in the union's summary.