SSE argues that speeding up investment in domestic clean power and helping homes, businesses and industry switch from fossil fuels to electricity would protect consumers from global price shocks and drive down costs over time.

In its report, Powering Affordable Secure Energy, which combines in-depth public opinion polling with data analysis, the electricity infrastructure company concludes that building more UK electricity infrastructure and using more of that power across the economy would lower bills and shield consumers from volatility triggered by international events.

The report finds that around 70% of the increase in domestic energy bills since 2017 has been driven by global commodity prices and inflation, highlighting the UK's exposure to international gas markets and strengthening the case for accelerating the shift to UK-generated clean energy.

For households, switching to an electric vehicle could cut a family's overall energy costs by around 30%, with a further 5% saving from a heat pump. The report also says that changing how policy costs and levies are applied, so electricity is not made artificially expensive, would deliver immediate savings.

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For businesses, extending targeted support to SMEs and reforming policies such as the Climate Change Levy and how costs are shared could save a typical pub or restaurant around £1,000 a year.

Public attitudes in the polling are strongly in favour of domestic energy production: eight in ten people support producing more energy in the UK to reduce reliance on other countries, and when asked to choose, a majority say moving away from fossil fuels is the best way to achieve that. The 'cost of living' remains the top concern, and across voting intentions there is strong support for expanding clean energy, including more solar (74%) and wind (67%).

Martin Pibworth, Chief Executive of SSE plc, said: "The single biggest lever the next Prime Minister has to cut energy bills is to make more use of the clean power we generate here in the UK. Right now, too many homes and businesses are still exposed to volatile global gas prices they can't control. By generating more clean energy here at home and upgrading the grid, we can build a more affordable, secure energy system that brings down bills over time.

"The benefits could be even greater if we stop making electricity artificially expensive by removing levies and other costs from the electricity bill. The UK has led the world in areas like offshore wind and can do so again by winning the electrification race - saving customers money while driving growth and competitiveness not just nationally but across all regions of the country."