Cut energy bills for the low-paid, says thinktank - as pensioners face winter without support

A thinktank has called for energy bill cuts for low-income households, according to the Guardian, as the Express reports pensioners will struggle through winter under the current government's energy policy.

The Mirror carries separate reporting on rail fares, with the Prime Minister considering changes to Railcard rules to reduce ticket prices. The Express also reports that David Lammy is being considered for a new role after being removed from his previous position by Andy Burnham.

The underlying machinery is familiar: redistribute the cost of energy policy through the tax system rather than the bill. Every subsidy for one group's bills is a charge on another group's taxes. The question is never whether to pay for dear energy - the country pays either way - but who carries it and whether they notice.

The winter ahead will test the proposition. Pensioners who lost the winter fuel payment will compare their bills to the support offered elsewhere. The thinktank's proposal moves the subsidy from age to income - a different sorting, not a saving.