Tag: Energy Security and Net Zero Department

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 6 July 2026.

Bradford, Manchester, Bristol, London and Birmingham are the first cities to host annual ‘Energising Britain’ events.

Across the country today, communities are coming together to showcase how they are accelerating clean energy, nature protection and tackling climate change, as the government today (Monday 6 July) launches its first ever wave of ‘Energising Britain’ events.

Through local action, communities are helping deliver the benefits of climate action for British people – from clean, homegrown energy and lower bills to nature restoration and cleaner air. 

As families and businesses across the UK brace themselves for what is expected to be the third heatwave of the summer this week, the government is launching its first ever series of events to connect with local communities on climate and nature action, bringing together over 500 people in climate and nature leadership, local business, civil society, education and more to ensure people’s voices help shape the UK’s net zero agenda. 

In Bradford, the Minister for Climate, Katie White, opened the inaugural ‘Energising Britain’ event at Bradford City FC. The event will include speakers from the football club and Feversham Primary School who have saved money on their energy bills by rolling out rooftop solar panels.  

In Manchester, Minister White opened the afternoon session ahead of a panel on culture, youth and faith, where Liverpool FC will speak about their role engaging large audiences on climate change, the Youth Focus North West on how the young can engage adults around them, and the Carbon CO-OP on energy cost savings in the home. 

Bristol’s event focused on how community-led climate and nature action is improving lives locally. Sessions will take place on the Creative Clean Power Pilot project powering live events with renewable energy, practical electrification projects, future energy systems and effective climate communication, as well as boat tours of Bristol Harbour visiting England’s largest harbour-based water source heat pump and a floating ecosystem with more than 6,000 native aquatic plants and trees to support wildlife.   

In London, local partners came together to explore how communities can help accelerate electrification across homes, buildings and transport.   

In Birmingham, local partners came together to explore how local action can support electrification and climate and nature action. There will be a focus on regional activity across local authorities, communities, businesses and sector partners, connecting electrification to rural communities, faith groups, culture, music and the arts. 

The events are being organised by the Local Net Zero Hubs, the national network of local partnerships to support local authorities and the communities they serve develop clean energy projects local people see and feel the benefit of.

Minister for Climate, Katie White, said: 

Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent as our climate changes – from heatwaves in summer to flooding in the winter. 

The need to take climate action has never been clearer, and through our ‘Energising Britain’ events, we’re making sure local communities across the country have their say on climate action and clean, homegrown energy. 

We know government cannot drive this mission alone – by working together with local communities, we can accelerate our work on climate action and clean power to deliver lower bills, good jobs and cleaner air now and for generations to follow.

Rachael Orr, CEO of Climate Outreach said:  

We’ve made incredible progress in tackling climate change – but too few people know about it. The ‘Energising Britain’ events are a brilliant opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come in lowering our emissions and electrifying our energy supply – and energise the people leading the charge to build on this momentum.   

We also know there’s so much more to do. Recent heatwaves across the UK have reinforced the importance and urgency of tackling climate change and restoring nature so we can protect the people and places we love. The events today can also help us think about how people and communities can come together and rise to this challenge together.

Dr Sue Griffiths, CEO of The Young Foundation, said:  

Across the country, communities are already demonstrating what a fair and inclusive green transition can look like, and the ‘Energising Britain’ events shine a spotlight on that leadership. The transition to a cleaner, greener future will only succeed if people feel part of it.

By bringing together communities, practitioners and local leaders to share ideas, build relationships and shape solutions that reflect the realities of different places, these events show how local knowledge, participation and collaboration can help turn national ambition into lasting change on the ground. Involving people in shaping the future of their communities helps ensure that the benefits of the transition are felt widely, fairly and in ways that strengthen communities.  

James Johnson, Head of Regional Programme at the North West Net Zero Hub, said:  

The transition to clean energy is vital if we are to achieve a sustainable future, and that transition cannot happen without the support and inclusion of our citizens. This is why the Public Participation Strategy is such an important part of the country’s work on climate and nature action. We are delighted to celebrate some of the best engagement practitioners from the North West as part of ‘Energising Britain’, and we look forward to the new approaches and partnerships that this event will help to create.

North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub Manager Karen Oliver Spry, said: 

The government and Great British Energy have set the ambition of every community in the country having the opportunity to benefit from locally-owned energy by 2030, and this event is a sign of the extent to which this has been embraced by our region, with communities in every corner of Yorkshire and the North East generating clean electricity which local people see and feel the benefit from. 

When the Hub was created there were only 9 community energy groups in the North East and Yorkshire and today we’re working with close to 150 – growth of over 1,000% – and we’re delighted to have had the opportunity to bring so many of these energy communities together to learn from and inspire each other and the next generation of community energy projects, and to welcome the Minister to see the progress which is being made. 

Steve Ransom, Head of Net Zero Delivery, West of England Combined Authority said: 

We are very excited to be working with DESNZ and The South West Net Zero Hub to deliver this flagship event. ‘Energising Britain’ will showcase some of the amazing work on climate change and nature recovery already happening across all sectors in the South West. We look forward to meeting the passionate communities already involved for an inspiring day to explore how we can strengthen public participation and communicate the benefits of the transition to clean energy for all.

Maxine Narburgh, Regional Director, Greater South East Net Zero Hub said:  

Communities across the Greater South East are already showing that the transition to clean energy is something that happens with people, not to them. From local organisations and community energy groups to businesses and public sector partners, there is real momentum behind community-led electrification. 

‘Energising Britain’ is an opportunity to bring those voices together, celebrate what’s already working, share practical experience, and build the partnerships needed to accelerate progress. By working collaboratively, we can ensure the transition to clean, affordable energy is inclusive, delivers tangible benefits for local people and places, and leaves a lasting legacy for communities across our region.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 30 June 2026.

Scotland has areas with “high potential” for new nuclear development from a technical perspective, according to a new siting study by the government’s nuclear delivery body.

The Energy Secretary commissioned Great British Energy-Nuclear in autumn last year to conduct a technical study into potential suitable areas in Scotland for possible new nuclear developments in the future, including small modular reactors or large-scale power stations.

Their report identified the following areas currently associated with nuclear power:

• Torness, East Lothian
• Dounreay, Caithness
• Hunterston, North Ayrshire

As well as other potential areas around the Firth of Forth Estuary and Eastern coast of Scotland.

The UK government is delivering a golden age of nuclear, greenlighting Sizewell C on the Suffolk coast and small modular reactors in North Wales – supporting thousands of jobs across the country and boosting energy security with clean homegrown power.

However, the Scottish Government has a long-standing policy that it will not grant planning consent to new nuclear projects in Scotland. UK ministers remain open to discussions with the Scottish Government on deploying new nuclear technologies in Scotland.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

For decades thousands of Scots have worked in the nuclear sector and provided the country with low-carbon, reliable power.

This new report shows there is potential for new nuclear in Scotland, which could boost the country’s energy security and deliver new jobs.

We are delivering a golden age of nuclear in England and Wales from Sizewell C to small modular reactors. Sadly Scotland is missing out on the enormous economic and energy security potential.

The nuclear industry now employs a record  98,000 people across the UK , according to the Nuclear Industry Association , and the sector has already seen  11,000 new jobs  last year following government-led investment.  Meanwhile Scotland represented the smallest jobs growth in the nuclear sector last year due to a lack of new projects.

The government-commissioned report concluded that Scotland has land areas with high potential for new nuclear development, although further detailed site-specific studies, including assessment of grid requirements, community engagement with and development of a commercial case, would be required to confirm suitability for any particular new nuclear project.

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive at the Nuclear Industry Association, said: 

Scotland has the sites, skills, and decades of engineering expertise for new nuclear projects, alongside strong community support. Scotland deserves the same investment and opportunities that are going into new nuclear in England and Wales. It’s time for a new dialogue about energy policy and a robust, diverse mix of clean power sources. New nuclear in Scotland can play a key part in that and unlock new investment that strengthens energy security, supports local communities, and creates thousands of jobs.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 26 June 2026.

Leading security, military and academics have joined forces with the government to boost the UK’s preparedness for the security impacts of climate change.

• Government brings together leading security, military and academic experts to tackle growing climate threats
• New taskforce will boost UK preparedness for climate change – identifying gaps, assessing risks and providing independent recommendations and expertise on climate and nature threats to national security
• Climate change and nature loss are driving instability, economic disruption and threatening Britain’s way of life

Leading security, military and academic experts have joined forces with the government to boost the UK’s preparedness for the security impacts of climate change and nature loss. 

Climate Minister Katie White has today (Friday 26 June) announced the launch a first-of-its-kind expert taskforce that will advise government on how to better anticipate and respond to the growing risks climate change poses to national security. 

The UK’s 2025 National Security Strategy makes clear that climate and nature loss are core drivers of global instability, economic disruption and security risk. 

As Britian experiences another record heatwave this week, climate change is already impacting families and businesses. The UK Health Security Agency estimated over 1,500 heat related deaths last summer and analysis has shown in 2025 hot and dry conditions led to £800 million in crop losses for British farming.

Co-chaired by Climate Minister Katie White and Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle, the taskforce will meet to pinpoint gaps in the UK’s preparedness and identify the most serious climate and nature threats to national security. It will also review existing resilience work across government and set out clear recommendations to strengthen readiness. It builds on continued action to tackle the climate crisis and protect future generations. Earlier this month, the government set out a world‑leading target for the seventh Carbon Budget — cutting emissions by 87% between 2038 and 2042 — helping to cut bills, shield families from fossil fuel price spikes, and drive investment in the UK’s clean energy economy.

Minister for Climate, Katie White, said:  

Climate change is no longer a distant concern. It is a security challenge that is reshaping the world in which we all live. 

Recent events in the Middle East make clear just how exposed the systems which we all depend on are to shocks, which can quickly cascade and impact the every day lives of families and businesses. 

We’re convening this taskforce, the first of its kind, to make sure that we are prepared as possible for the security challenges that climate change creates.

Minister for Security, Dame Angela Eagle DBE MP, said: 

The climate crisis is a growing threat to our national security, from disrupting supply chains, which pushes up prices in the shops, to driving conflict and instability around the world.

This new taskforce will bring together leading experts to make sure Britain is better prepared for these risks – strengthening our resilience at home and ensuring we can respond to an increasingly uncertain world.

These risks are increasingly crossing borders and sectors, with knock-on effects for migration, access to food and water, energy systems, supply chains and financial stability. 

The taskforce will take a joined-up look at climate security. In practice, this means:  

• looking at how climate impacts overseas can translate into domestic pressures, including more people living in climate-vulnerable conditions and the consequences for UK
• understanding the risks to the UK and global economy, including what happens when assets, infrastructure or whole regions become too risky to insure or invest in
• exploring rising geopolitical tensions in places like the Arctic, where melting ice is creating security challenges

The initial group of Taskforce members include: 

• Tim Benton, Professor Emeritus, University of Leeds; formerly Research Director & Distinguished Fellow at Chatham House
• Nick Bridge, Associate Fellow, Environment and Society Centre, Chatham House
• Duncan de Pledge, Senior Lecturer in Geopolitics and Security, Loughborough University
• Bassam Fattouh, Director, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. 
• Olivia Lazard, Planetary Fellow, Berggruen Institute   
• General Richard Nugee, Non-Executive Director for Climate Change and Sustainability, MOD 
• Nathalie Pettorelli, Professor, Institute of Zoology, ZSL   
• Janani Vivekananda, Director of Climate Diplomacy and Security Programme, Adelphi Global  

Further members of the taskforce will be announced in due course.

Janani Vivekananda, Director of Climate Diplomacy and Security Programme, Adelphi Global, said:  

Security in the 2020s means climate security. I’m honoured to join this Taskforce to help ensure the UK acts early and decisively — with integrated, evidence‑based and accountable responses that prevent climate and nature risks from becoming crises, protect people, and strengthen the conditions for peace.  

General Richard Nugee, Non-Executive Director for Climate Change and Sustainability, MOD, said: 

I am delighted to be joining a TaskForce that puts climate change and biodiversity loss at the heart of National Security for this country. Both have significant implications for the Security and well being of the state and must be addressed for our people.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 26 June 2026.

Households on heating oil across England and Wales will be eligible for £9,000 off a heat pump, helping them cut bills.

• Thousands of households on heating oil across England and Wales will be eligible for a £9,000 heat pump grant 
• Funding will help rural households make the move from heating oil to a heat pump, protecting them from fossil fuel price spikes
• Information on how to apply will be landing on doormats of thousands of eligible households this week 

Thousands of households on heating oil across England and Wales will be eligible to receive £9,000 to switch to a heat pump this summer, saving them money on their energy bills. 

From 21 July the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is being increased by 20%, from £7,500 to £9,000, to help rural households make the move from heating oil to a heat pump.

This will electrify families’ heating, protecting them from fossil fuel price spikes and providing greater certainty over energy bills.

Leaflets will be dropping onto the doormats of 200,000 eligible homes in England and Wales this week with more information on how to claim the extra funding. 

Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey said  

This government is determined to bring down energy bills, but I know the war in the Middle East has hit households on heating oil especially hard.

We have already taken action to support these households through confirming over £50 million in support for vulnerable customers on heating oil. 

Now, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will help thousands of families across England and Wales switch to clean heat to protect them from volatile fossil fuels.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme uplift runs alongside measures that the Energy Secretary set out earlier in the year to help cut bills for families and deliver more clean, homegrown power.

The Social Housing Fund will receive a £100 million boost to support the delivery of up to 57,000 solar installations for households in England this financial year. The measures will cut bills by hundreds of pounds and support up to one million homes reach EPC C.

Additionally, to build on the success of Great British Energy’s solar scheme, the government is backing the company to extend support for more rooftop solar installations on a further 100 schools and colleges this year alone.

The Warm Homes Plan, available to all households, will help roll out clean technology to millions, cutting bills and securing thousands of good jobs.

Charlotte Lee, CEO, Heat Pump Association UK, said:

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme continues to play a vital role in supporting households to adopt heat pumps, and this £1,500 uplift will make the transition significantly more affordable for the thousands of oil-heated homes. 

Many of these households have faced considerable price uncertainty in recent months, without the protection of the energy price cap, and this £9,000 grant will help shield families from volatile fossil fuel costs, by using home grown electricity, in the years ahead.

Ian Rippin, CEO at MCS, said: 

This uplift is an important step in making heat pumps more accessible to rural households, allowing them to see the benefits the technology can offer.

As the UK’s quality mark for small-scale renewables like heat pumps, our mission is to give everyone confidence in home-grown energy. 

We do this by setting the standards you should always expect from an MCS certified installer and the products they use, while providing robust protections to give you peace of mind in your investment.

Households considering making the switch to a heat pump with the help of the BUS can search for an MCS certified installer near them using our Find an Installer tool.

Matt Copeland, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at National Energy Action says:

This is a positive step for households relying on heating oil, who have recently faced the highest and most volatile energy costs. 

Many families will be expecting to ration their heating in the coming winter, living in homes they cannot afford to keep warm, not through choice but constraint. 

Supporting the shift to cleaner heating in these homes can help deliver greater stability and lower bills. 

The real test will be whether this support reaches those most at risk and makes homes genuinely affordable to heat.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 24 June 2026.

Energy Secretary announces that government has secured £100 billion of private clean energy investment.

• It comes one year after the government launched its Modern Industrial Strategy

More than £100 billion in clean energy investment announcements has been secured since the government came to office, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will confirm at London Climate Action Week, as he declares Britain is part of a global boom in clean energy that is creating jobs across the UK and boosting energy security. 

It follows a recent announcement of up to £9 billion investment from Japan into the UK’s offshore wind industry, and Rolls-Royce SMR winning a multi-billion-pound Sweden nuclear export contract off the back of the UK’s pioneering SMR programme. Meanwhile today (Tuesday 23 June), National Grid confirmed £1.2 billion of contracts to upgrade 1,000km of transmission lines. 

This year’s renewable auctions have unlocked the largest chunk of private investment this parliament, with £27 billion mobilised in clean energy investment. $2 trillion investment is expected globally in clean energy this year.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

The UK’s clean energy economy is booming. Today we announce we’ve passed the incredibly significant milestone of over £100 billion of private investment announced in clean energy since our government came to office. That means investment, jobs, growth.

The Energy Secretary is today due to speak alongside the UN Secretary General Antonio Guetteres, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen and Executive Director of the IEA Fatih Birol at the Global Energy Transition and Electrification Summit.

Notes to editors

The over £100 billion in private investment announced figure reflects significant capex announcements since July 2024 into UK clean energy plans and projects, regardless of whether the investment has reached a final investment decision, or not.

This total excludes investment announced prior to July 2024 as well as accounting for double counting of specific projects across announcements. Further detail and explanation are available at Sources – Clean Energy Homepage.

The IEA World Energy Investment Report 2026 reports that globally in 2026 around USD 2.2 trillion is expected to go collectively to renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency and electrification, and some USD 1.2 trillion to oil, natural gas and coal.

Breakdown of announced private investment

UK-wide/multiple region

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
UK wide	Iberdrola UK capex plan	Iberdrola/Scottish Power	Renewables, grid	24.0
UK wide	Octopus capex plan	Octopus Energy	Clean energy projects	2.0
UK wide	Social housing retrofit	Barclays/Lloyds/NatWest/Rothesay	Social housing retrofit	1.7
UK wide	Hydrogen Allocation Round 1 projects	10 projects	Hydrogen	0.4
UK wide	UK secured £7.5 billion Japanese investment in key growth sectors	Sumitomo Corp	Key UK infrastructure and clean energy projects	7.5
UK wide	OnPath capex plan	OnPath	UK onshore wind, solar and storage capex	1.0
UK wide	Eelpower battery	Aware Super and Equitix	BESS	0.3
UK Wide	AR7 Fixed and Floating Offshore Wind projects	Multiple	Offshore wind	22.0
UK Wide	AR7 onshore wind and solar projects	Multiple	Onshore wind and solar	5.0
UK Wide	Hithium	Hithium	BESS	0.2
UK wide	National Grid Extended and upgraded 5-year Financial Framework	National Grid	Networks	40.0
UK wide	UK and Japan unlock significant inward investments totalling up to £9 billion in offshore wind	Multiple	Offshore Wind	9.0
UK wide	Macquarie capex plan	Macquarie	“Green infrastructure”	1.3
Scotland, Devon, Greater Manchester and Wales	6 battery storage systems	Pulse Clean Energy	BESS	0.2
UK wide	UK solar portfolio	Environmena	Solar	0.5
England	Hybrid solar & storage	British Solar Renewables	Solar and storage	0.3

North East and North West

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
Teesside	Teesside GigaPark battery storage system	Natpower	BESS	1.0
Tyne	Port of Tyne Clean Energy Park	Port of Tyne	Ports	0.2
North West England / Teesside (North East)	CCUS T1	CCUS investors	CCUS	8.0

Yorkshire & the Humber

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England	Thorpe Marsh Battery Energy Storage System	Fidra Energy	BESS	0.8

East Midlands

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
Nottinghamshire, England	Staythorpe Battery Energy Storage System	EDF/Elements Green	BESS	0.1

East of England

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
Thurrock, Essex	Thurrock Flexible Generation	Statera Energy	BESS	0.4
Suffolk, England	Sizewell C	EDF, La Caisse, Centrica, INPP and NLF via Amber Infrastructure	Nuclear	1.1, 1.7, 1.3, 0.7
Norfolk	AMPYR Solar project	AMPYR Solar Europe	Solar	0.2
England (East Anglia) and Germany	Tarchon Energy Interconnector	Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Volta Partners	HVDC Interconnector	1.2

South East of England

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
North Kent	Cleve Hill Solar Park	Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners	Solar deployment with battery	0.2
Bramley, Hampshire	Solar & BESS project	Cero Generation & Enso Energy	Solar & BESS	0.2

West Midlands

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
Hams Hall and Berkswell	2 BESS projects	BW Group	BESS	0.5

Wales & Ireland

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
Wales and Ireland	MaresConnect Interconnector	MaresConnect Limited	HVDC Interconnector	0.4
Pembroke, Wales	Pembroke Battery Storage Facility	RWE	BESS	0.2

Scotland

Location	Project	Company	Clean energy type	Private investment value (£bns)
North Sea, off east coast of Scotland	Green Volt floating offshore wind project	Flotation Energy / Vargronn / Greenvolt	Floating offshore wind	2.5
South Lanarkshire/East Coast of Scotland (Kincardine, Fife)	Coalburn 2/Devilla BESS	Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners	BESS	0.8
North Sea, off east coast of Scotland	Cerulean Winds/Aspen offshore wind project	Cerulean Winds/Aspen	Offshore wind	5.9
Kilroot in Northern Ireland to Hunterston in Ayrshire, Scotland	LirIC interconnector	LirIC interconnector	HVDC Interconnector	0.7
Cockenzie, East Lothian (Scotland)	Inch Cape reaching financial close	Red Rock Renewables/ESB	Offshore wind	3.5
Scotland	Nacelle & hub factory	Vestas	Offshore Wind	0.2
Eccles–Leitholm, Scotland	500 MW BESS project	Matrix Renewables	BESS

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 24 June 2026.

More oil and gas workers across Scotland will be offered tailored skills support to seize high-quality jobs in energy and other growth sectors.

• Over a thousand more oil and gas workers to get tailored support to move into new growing industries, from clean energy to advanced manufacturing
• Comes as UK and Scottish governments invest a total of £6 million to expand a successful skills programme that has already helped over 400 North Sea workers retrain
• The expanded scheme will now open to more workers across Scotland, offering the skills needed to access thousands of high-quality jobs in a range of fast-expanding sectors

Over a thousand more oil and gas workers will benefit from tailored career support to access good, well-paid jobs in clean energy and other growth sectors, as a successful skills programme is expanded across Scotland.  

Backed by a total of £6 million from UK and Scottish governments, the expansion follows a successful pilot scheme in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire – which has helped over 400 North Sea workers retrain for roles in Scotland’s energy transition. 

Following popular demand, the new scheme will give current and former oil and gas workers living anywhere in Scotland specialist training support, if they wish to transfer their high-value skills into fast-expanding sectors under the energy transition.  

The expansion follows the government’s plans, announced last year, to continue to use the North Sea for decades to come, by managing existing oil and gas fields for their lifetime and supporting new investment in oil and gas production through Transitional Energy Certificates.  

The government will not continue the same failed approach to the North Sea that it inherited, which saw the skilled workforce fall by a third over past decade, without the necessary investment in what comes next. By actively scaling up clean energy industries, the government is paving the way for over 40,000 new roles in Scotland by 2030, creating the next generation of skilled energy workers. 

These jobs are already hitting the market, as latest industry figures show that more than 1,500 new jobs were supported in Scotland’s electricity networks in the last two years alone. Meanwhile, 2025 saw jobs in the UK’s wind industry reach a record high of around 55,000, according to Renewable UK.  

The scheme is also being expanded to provide training support in other growing sectors, including advanced manufacturing, life sciences and defence – where the skills and expertise of oil and gas workers are in demand. 

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

Thousands of good jobs are being created right now in renewable energy and upgrading our grid and we want to make it as easy as possible for people with skills from the oil and gas industry to take advantage of these opportunities. 

This programme has already been oversubscribed so we are investing to expand it to more skilled workers as part of our commitment to deliver a fair and prosperous transition in the North Sea.

Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander said:

The expansion of the training scheme will support Scotland’s position at the heart of energy production in the UK. The scheme will support more than one thousand oil and gas workers in their transitions into new energy technologies.

After a successful first phase, I am also pleased to see opportunities in different sectors, such as defence and advance manufacturing, are being made available to oil and gas workers in Scotland to utilise their specialist skills and experience.

Scottish Government Energy Minister Stephen Gethins said:

Scotland has the geography, we have the infrastructure, and above all, we have the people to make the most of the energy transition that is upon us.

The workforce that has driven Scotland’s oil and gas industry for generations is one of the most skilled and experienced in the world and it is vital that their expertise is preserved in the North East, and beyond.

A just and managed transition means putting workers, and the communities that depend on them, at the heart of the economic benefits created by that transition. That is exactly what this fund intends to achieve by giving people the freedom to take their world-class skills into new and growing sectors, without being held back by the cost of training.

Eligible oil and gas workers in Scotland will be able to submit new applications for the scheme from today, via Skills Development Scotland’s Transition Training Fund website. Successful applicants to the scheme will receive careers advice and funding towards training courses for highly-skilled and in-demand roles such as in welding, electrical engineering, construction and more.   

The expansion forms part of up to £20 million in joint UK and Scottish Government funding, committed as part of the government’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan last year, to provide North Sea oil and gas workers with bespoke careers training for thousands of new roles in clean energy. 

Frank Mitchell, Chair of Skills Development Scotland, said:

The skills and expertise of Scotland’s oil and gas workforce are in demand across a number of growing sectors. 

SDS advisers can help workers in the oil and gas industry to reskill and upskill for careers in growing sectors to help them build on their experience and ultimately transition into new roles. 

The fund will play an important role in ensuring communities across Scotland benefit as much as possible from the continued growth of these key sectors.

Workers will soon be able to access support from a new North Sea Jobs Service, announced as part of the UK government’s North Sea Future Plan last year, that will offer end-to-end career support for oil and gas workers to take up new opportunities in growing sectors – ensuring North Sea communities remain at the heart of Britain’s energy and industrial future. 

Oil and gas workers are also benefitting from the Energy Skills Passport, in collaboration with industry and Scottish Government, which helps workers to identify routes into several roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance. This will also be expanded to include more clean energy sectors over time.  

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 17 June 2026.

Action to protect families in the energy market and hold the retrofit industry to account.

• New service to provide stronger oversight of retrofit industry – giving families confidence to upgrade their homes and cut bills 
• Reforms will help fix broken system which led to widespread issues with poor-quality insulation under inherited government schemes 
• Households to get fairer and faster compensation in the energy market under new measures to strengthen the Ombudsman 

Families will be better protected when upgrading their homes, giving them confidence to make improvements and cut their bills. 

Ministers are taking action to hold the retrofit industry to account for delivering home upgrades through a new consumer protection service, under proposals announced today (Wednesday 17 June).  

Plans being consulted on would create:  

• a transparent public register of government approved installers
• a single advice and support service covering the entire time a home is being upgraded 
• powers to hold installers and delivery partners to account, including bans from working on government schemes if they don’t meet high standards
• a new data-backed system that spots risks and installer performance issues earlier 

This will simplify the process for consumers, providing a single point of access offering end-to-end support, quality checks, and routes to redress. 

In the past, people have faced a broken and fragmented system when installing energy efficiency measures and been left frustrated and let down when things have gone wrong, with no clear way to resolve issues. 

Ministers are therefore acting to ensure issues which resulted in flawed insulation under legacy government schemes are never allowed to happen again.  

Consumers will also be supported with faster and fairer compensation in the energy market under new measures to strengthen the Energy Ombudsman, which helps people solve disputes with their energy suppliers.

If companies are not able to resolve issues directly, customers will be able to escalate their complaints to the Ombudsman within a shorter time frame, getting a decision more quickly – cutting overall waiting times by a month, to a maximum of 10 weeks.

The Ombudsman will be empowered to fine companies if they do not comply with their ruling, with new measures set to clarify the route for consumers to go through the courts to hold suppliers to account as a last resort.

Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey said:   

This government inherited a broken system that left too many people in homes damaged by work that lacked clear oversight, without support when things went wrong. 

That is why we promised to change that system and today we are setting out how we propose to do that. 

We are building a system that puts consumers first – holding companies to account while introducing better compensation and protections for customers.

From today, the Installation Assurance Authority (IAA) will now cover the cost of repairs to Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) solid wall insulation up to £25,000, up from £20,000, where these are within the terms of the original, still-valid guarantee. This includes cases where the original installer has gone bust. 

The National Energy Foundation, a domestic energy charity, will also cover the cost of relevant repairs for some homes with defective ECO4 and GBIS solid wall insulation, where the installer has gone out of business and the guarantee was cancelled, fraudulent or missing. 

Since identifying issues with poor-quality solid wall insulation installed under ECO4 and GBIS, government has set up a comprehensive on-site audit programme offering audits at no cost to the consumer, remediated more than 60% of the issues identified with audits, worked with Ofgem to create a dedicated call centre for affected households, and improved the quality assurance and consumer protection systems currently in place. 

By stamping out bad practice and reforming the broken system inherited by the government, the plans aim to restore families’ trust in the retrofit industry and give them confidence that work will be completed to a high standard. 

The changes mark the latest step to support families as government accelerates the drive for clean power to protect billpayers from the fossil fuel rollercoaster. 

By bringing forward the biggest investment in warm homes in British history – including making plug-in solar available in shops, giving homeowners living in properties heated by oil and LPG £9,000 off the cost of a heat pump, and taking decisive action on delinking electricity prices from international as prices – the government is driving forward with plans to upgrade as many homes as possible to cut bills.

Adam Scorer, CEO, National Energy Action, and Retrofit System Reform Advisory Panel member, said: 

Strengthening consumer protections for home upgrades is an essential step toward homes that are more affordable to heat and that make people healthier. I welcome a reform agenda considered through the experiences of more vulnerable households with less market power and who stand to benefit most from government support.

Gillian Cooper, Director of Energy at Citizens Advice, and Retrofit System Reform Advisory Panel member, said: 

We welcome the commitment to right-first-time installations and a simpler customer journey. Providing routes to impartial advice and redress where needed will give consumers confidence to adopt vital retrofit measures.

Charlotte Lee, CEO at Heat Pump Association UK, and Retrofit System Reform Advisory Panel member, said: 

We welcome these proposals as a positive step towards strengthening consumer protection and building confidence in the transition to low-carbon heating. As the heat pump market continues to grow, it is essential that consumers can rely on high standards, clear accountability and effective support should issues arise. 

The proposed reforms have the potential to improve oversight, strengthen quality assurance and create a more joined-up approach to consumer protection across the sector.  

Better use of data and clearer delivery obligations should also help identify issues earlier and drive continuous improvement across the supply chain. Consumer trust is fundamental to the successful rollout of heat pumps, and these measures represent an important opportunity to improve customer outcomes while supporting the growth of a high-quality, resilient market.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders and Retrofit System Reform Advisory Panel member, said: 

The retrofit market is a confusing landscape for both consumers and trades. The government’s proposals to improve consumer protection are a welcome step forward most notably the consideration to make more trades and related occupations subject to more government oversight. Greater oversight will offer the best protection to consumers and help drive out incompetent installers.

Lynne Sullivan, OBE, Chair of National Retrofit Hub and Retrofit System Reform Advisory Panel member, said:  

The NRH welcomes the comprehensive analysis and scope of the proposed reforms as well as government’s willingness to play a pivotal role; clarity of responsibilities is key to improving customer experience of the retrofit journey, and should become the norm for the retrofit market.

Anthony Pygram, member of the Committee on Fuel Poverty, and Retrofit System Reform Advisory Panel member, said: 

People who struggle to pay for their energy need to be confident that retrofit measures and their installers are trustworthy and, if things do go wrong, they will not lose out. This consultation is an important step in the right direction.

Ed Dodman, Chief Ombudsman for Energy Ombudsman, said: 

The measures announced today by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero represent a positive step forward in enhancing consumer protections and reinforcing high standards across the energy sector. In an essential market such as energy, it’s vital that the right steps continue to be taken to strengthen trust, accountability and outcomes for consumers. 

Strengthening the role of Energy Ombudsman and making the process faster will ensure consumers can not only have quicker access to redress but also have the confidence that issues will be resolved effectively. 

There is still work to be done, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with government, the regulator, suppliers and stakeholders to ensure the system delivers fair, timely and accessible outcomes for all.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 16 June 2026.

Retailers join government plans to bring plug-in solar panels to UK homes, helping families save money on bills.

• B&Q and Currys join Government plans to bring plug-in solar to UK homes
• Rooftop solar panels are already saving families up to £480 a month
• Government launches consultation for industry views on ensuring consumer safety

More families are set to save money on bills as flagship retailers Currys, B&Q, Amazon and Lidl join Government plans to bring plug-in solar panels to UK homes. 

At a roundtable of some of the biggest retailers in the country, with a combined total of almost four thousand stores and significant online presence, Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey discussed the crucial role of plug-in solar in the clean energy revolution.

Those in attendance included Amazon, Asda, B&Q, Currys, Screwfix and Wickes, who discussed the technology and how it can offer a cheaper route for people to save money on bills.

This follows rule changes announced by the government earlier this year that will allow UK homeowners to self-install plug-in solar panels in the coming months and builds on savings of up to £480 consumers can already make from rooftop panels.

Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey said:

Plug-in panels can be transformative for renters or those on lower incomes, so I welcome the conversation today with household names such as B&Q and Currys showing a huge amount of support for getting the panels in people’s homes.

This easy to install tech can cut people’s bills and help make the UK less reliant on global fossil fuel markets.

John Boumphrey, UK & Ireland Country Manager, Amazon said: 

This is a fantastic opportunity to make renewable energy more accessible to people around the UK. Amazon is the largest corporate buyer of carbon-free energy in the UK – we’ve invested in over 40 large scale solar and wind projects to date.

Enabling households to generate their own power with self-install plug-in solar panels is a practical step that supports household budgets and delivering against net zero goals.

Graham Bell, CEO of B&Q, said:

We welcome the introduction of plug-in solar panels to the UK market, which will help households to generate their own energy and reduce their bills. This builds on our existing range of portable solar and battery solutions.

We are working closely with Government and suppliers to understand and help shape the guidance, ensuring any products we offer are safe, compliant and straightforward to install. We look forward to making plug-in solar available to our customers as soon as possible.

Georgina Hall, corporate affairs director at Lidl GB, said:

At Lidl GB, we want to make sustainable choices affordable and accessible to every household which is why we are supporting DESNZ’s latest steps toward modernising regulations for ‘plug-and-play’ technology.

By establishing a clear, robust framework to bring plug-in solar to market safely and efficiently, it could unlock a highly effective, low-cost route for people to reduce their energy bills. We welcome this consultation and look forward to working alongside the Government and industry partners to explore how these products can safely play their role in the UK’s clean energy revolution.

Michelle Gorringe-Smith, Director of New Categories at Currys, said: 

We’re delighted to be working with DESNZ to bring plug-in solar panels to the UK market. With energy bills continuing to rise, enabling the safe roll-out of these products will mark an important step for consumers across the UK – including the more than 80% of UK households that shop at Currys.

This technology, already widely used by households throughout Europe, is easy to install and could save many households significant amounts on their energy bills, while helping make the UK less reliant on global fossil fuel markets.

The low-cost panels can be put on balconies or in any outdoor space, providing free solar power that can be used directly through a mains socket like any other device, without an installation cost, thereby reducing the amount of electricity taken from the grid.   

Alongside the roundtable, the government has today (16 June) launched a consultation seeking industry views on enforcing the rules so consumers can safely install plug-in panels in their homes.

Households across Britain are already embracing solar power in record numbers. 2025 saw a record 269,000 solar installations completed in the UK – the highest total ever recorded in a calendar year and 37 per cent larger than the year before.

Around 255,000 of these were rooftop solar – meaning at least 95 per cent of all new solar was installed on homes, businesses and other buildings. This equates to a new rooftop solar installation every two minutes throughout 2025.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 2 June 2026.

Families and businesses will continue to reap the benefits of the clean energy transition in the coming decades.

• Government sets next achievable and pragmatic target for long-term emissions reduction, building on the framework that has secured billions of private  investment and economic growth since 2008, a “great British success story”
• Moving at pace to electrify Britain and deliver clean, homegrown energy will unlock greater energy security, lower bills for good, cleaner air, thousands of good jobs and action on the climate crisis following record British heatwaves

Families and businesses across the UK will continue to reap the benefits of the clean energy transition, as the government sets a new emissions target to further protect family finances, grow the economy and tackle the climate crisis.    

As Britain faces its second fossil fuel price shock in 5 years due to the war in Iran, the government is pursuing policies which deliver tangible improvements to the lives of working people – centred on getting Britain off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets and onto clean homegrown power. 

Today (Tuesday 2 June) the government has set out its proposed level for the seventh Carbon Budget, which sets a science-led target of ~87% emissions reduction in the period 2038 to 2042 – endorsed by the Environmental Audit Committee and the Climate Change Committee.

It comes as an independent report from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, supported by analysis from the Confederation of British Industries Economics, today shows that the net zero economy supports over one million jobs in the UK, adding £105 billion in gross value added (GVA)  to the UK economy in 2025 alone, as it continues to thrive as one of the UK’s fastest- growing economic sectors.

The new target is based on evidence-based assumptions about how the country will take a consumer choice-led approach to the adoption of technologies such as solar, batteries and EVs that will cut bills for families.

The level for the Seventh Carbon Budget has been chosen because:

• moving at pace to clean energy and net zero emissions is the best choice to reduce the exposure of UK families and businesses to more fossil fuel shocks, as the UK has seen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Iran War
• it maximises the benefits of the clean energy and net zero transition, including to the economy, health and nature
• it is consistent with the Paris Agreement aim to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees, to avoid climate disaster for future generations

This builds on the UK’s pioneering Climate Change Act 2008 – backed by British businesses, scientists, trade unions and civil society – which has provided a framework for combining economic growth and climate action, attracting billions of private sector investment and seen the UK become a global leader in clean energy industries. Since July 2024, the UK has seen over £90 billion of private investment announced in clean energy, including carbon capture projects in Teesside and nuclear at Sizewell C off the Suffolk coast.

The government’s clean energy and climate plans include:

• Cutting bills and costs: March saw the highest monthly solar deployment in over a decade and a record month for EV sales. Families installing solar could save up to £500 a year, electric cars can save drivers up to £1,400 annually to run and external estimates show new electric cars are now on average, cheaper to buy than petrol equivalents. Alongside this, the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan will deliver the biggest home upgrade programme in British history, cutting bills and lifting millions out of fuel poverty
• Delivering energy security: Half of the UK’s recessions since 1970 have been caused by fossil fuel shocks. The government is investing in renewable and nuclear energy to get the UK off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices, delivering a record-breaking renewables auction that secured enough clean energy to power the equivalent of 23 million homes. By 2050, the UK could cut its reliance on fossil fuels from around three quarters of our energy today to around 15%, while avoiding around £445 billion in fossil fuel spending over the next 25 years
• Jobs and investment: The government is driving a major clean energy jobs push, supporting over 400,000 additional jobs by 2030 across the UK. According to the CBI Economics report, in 2025, jobs supported by net zero businesses were 48%, or 1.5 times more productive than the UK average, generating £119,300 in economic value per full-time job. This led to higher-than-average wages, with these jobs generating an average of £43,142 to a full-time worker
• Cleaner air and nature recovery: Clean energy will help make the air cleaner across the country, leading to better health and a higher quality of life for people now and in the future. Cleaner air from the transition is estimated to deliver around 8,000 fewer hospital admissions each year by 2050, easing pressure on the NHS. Restoring peatlands and planting new woodland will deliver around £50 billion in nature benefits over the period to 2050, improving biodiversity, water quality, flood protection and access to nature

Without action, climate change continues to endanger the UK’s food and water security, exacerbate global population displacement and pose national security risks, including to critical infrastructure, in a context of increased global instability and households already suffering from the price volatility of fossil fuels. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is also clear that the costs of climate damage are getting higher, while the cost of the net zero transition is getting lower. This is about protecting the UK’s way of life and the natural world from significant dangers.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

As Britain faces the second fossil fuel shock of the decade, the only way to protect family and business finances is to drive for clean homegrown power that we control.  

What has been achieved so far by businesses and communities across the country is a great British success story – cutting costs by upgrading homes, backing British businesses, supporting one million good jobs according to new analysis from CBI Economics, and protecting our beautiful countryside.  

Some people want to stick their heads in the sand and let our children face the consequences of climate breakdown – but this government believes in the timeless British value of protecting our country for generations to come.

Climate Minister Katie White said:

The record-breaking May heatwave is another reminder that climate change is no longer a distant prospect. Increased heatwaves, flooding and nature loss are becoming the new norm for our country.

That’s why we’re continuing to set a clear investment framework which will electrify Britain, maximising the benefits of clean power with cleaner air, warmer homes, energy security, investment into Britain and thousands of jobs in the industries of the future.

A delivery plan setting out how Carbon Budget 7 will be met will be published as soon as is reasonably practical after Parliament has approved the budget.  

Legislating the carbon budget level for 2038 to 2042 now sends an economy-wide signal to investors and businesses, providing long-term certainty which will encourage investment and growth.

Stakeholder reactions

Dhara Vyas, Chief Executive at Energy UK said:    

The events of recent weeks have once again underlined the importance of pressing ahead with the move to clean energy to reduce our vulnerability to global fossil fuel price shocks and strengthen our energy independence in an uncertain world. The quicker we increase the amount of energy we get from our own clean sources, the less exposed our homes, businesses and economy will be in future.   

The fact that we now get over half of our electricity from low carbon sources is because the certainty and direction provided by the Climate Change Act and carbon budgets have given investors, developers and businesses the confidence to put billions of pounds into long-term projects in this country. As today’s CBIE report shows, the net zero economy is thriving and delivering above average economic benefits right across the country – continuing to support it will be key to delivering greater growth and prosperity for our country over the coming years and decades.

Ben Martin, Policy Manager at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:   

The energy transition presents significant economic opportunities across the UK, driving innovation and economic growth, as well as supporting jobs and skills.    

There are already so many innovative businesses that are developing low carbon technology solutions critical to supporting net zero. The Seventh Carbon Budget provides greater certainty for these firms and builds on progress already made.   

Businesses, alongside Chambers of Commerce, are playing a leading role in supporting the transition in areas such as nuclear power, offshore wind, solar, and carbon capture.    

Firms stand ready to work with government to strengthen energy security, drive investment, and support growth.

Verity Davidge, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Make UK, said:  

With government beginning to harness the sector plans laid out in the industrial strategy and taking the first steps towards reducing electricity costs for manufacturers, we can see that the Seventh Carbon Budget underlines the unique opportunity that the clean energy economy offers for sustained industrial growth across Britain. A sustained growth in UK electrification supply chains could help modernise industrial processes and ensure that UK manufacturing can compete on an increasingly carbon free international stage in the years ahead.

Rt Hon Lord Alok Sharma, Chair of the UK Transition Finance Council and former Business and Energy Secretary, said:   

I welcome the government endorsing the independent Climate Change Committee’s overall emission reduction target out to 2042. It is vital this is backed by credible delivery plans which unlock economic growth, jobs and private sector finance, particularly to assist high-emitting sectors decarbonise in a timely manner.   

I therefore hope the government will act on the policy recommendations made by the Transition Finance Council, which will help to deliver finance to assist hard-to-abate sectors transition from grey to green.

Rachel Solomon Williams, Executive Director at Aldersgate Group, said:   

Today’s publication of Carbon Budget 7 is a major step forward in the UK’s plans to meet its net zero commitments. It is good to see the government is setting a target that should drive urgent action to drive down carbon emissions.  

As today’s new report by the CBI and ECIU also shows, net zero is delivering benefits right across the UK economy. The sector encompasses 23,000 firms, of which over 96% are small or medium size; it also supports over 1 million jobs, with wages at 11% higher than average.  

We look forward to the publication of a delivery plan to accompany this new carbon budget, providing the certainty businesses need and placing the UK’s net zero plans at the heart of our economic future. The plan must set out clearly what action will be taken across different sectors, especially on meeting growing demand for electricity across heating, transport and industry, as well as bringing costs down.

James Alexander, CEO of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF), said:  

The government’s strategy for reducing emissions is a vital element of our economic positioning for the years ahead.   

Investors need certainty to allocate billions of pounds of capital to major low-carbon industries, and the carbon budget is an important demonstration of the UK’s ongoing commitment to decarbonisation.  

The benefits of this private financing are being felt among thousands of small and medium-sized companies, which are playing their part in supply chains up and down the country. The government must continue to match these emissions benchmarks with policies that make it even more attractive to invest in the UK.

Chris Norbury, CEO of E.ON UK, said:  

Every step forward on the energy transition is welcome but the prize is bigger than emissions alone. It’s the chance to transform a system built for a different century into one that works for customers where flexibility is rewarded, demand is dynamic and pounds end up back in people’s pockets. Action now means lower bills and energy security all moving in the same direction.

Tara Singh, Chief Executive as RenewableUK, said:  

Setting clear goals helps us to attract billions in private investment in the UK’s world-class clean tech industries, creating well-paid jobs throughout the country in wind, solar, energy storage and green hydrogen – our new powerhouses of economic growth. The clean power we generate cuts bills by pushing the most expensive gas generators off the system. Low-cost electricity from renewables protects billpayers from price shocks on volatile global fossil fuel markets which we can’t control, strengthening the UK’s energy security as we move closer towards energy independence.

David Hawkes, Head of Policy at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) said:  

The ICE has long been clear that the UK doesn’t need to choose between its environmental and economic goals. The road to net zero is paved with opportunities to create jobs, strengthen energy security, and deliver better outcomes for people and nature.  

It’s encouraging to see the government maintain focus on these benefits, even in uncertain times, and to have confirmation that decarbonisation is already supporting economic growth. Infrastructure and the professionals who deliver it are central to this transition.   

The priority now is pace: the sector needs clear direction and consistent policy signals to keep up momentum. Clear priorities and stable, long-term investment will be essential to deliver at the speed and scale required.

Prof Miranda Barker OBE DL, CEO at East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said:  

The progress of the UK trajectory going forward in Carbon Budget 7 shows a true triple bottom line of benefit for the UK. Safeguarding our people with real energy security, bringing significant economic benefit for the UK from maximising our growth in the global low carbon tech sector, to continuing our progress in reducing the UK’s environmental impact.

The benefits of this private financing are being felt among thousands of small and medium-sized companies, which are playing their part in supply chains up and down the country. 

The government must continue to match these emissions benchmarks with policies that make it even more attractive to invest in the UK.

Nigel Topping CMG, Chair of the Climate Change Committee, said:  

The Committee is delighted that the government have accepted the CCC’s advised level for the Seventh Carbon Budget. The lower-cost, energy-secure future is electric – so we hope to see the government plan to accelerate electrification, in particular by making electricity cheaper.   

The government must make its own pathway; but investors, businesses, and trade unions can have confidence in the work that we have done to show this is a feasible yet ambitious approach to a more secure world. We will continue to hold the government to account for how it delivers against its targets and celebrate the successes the country has achieved.

Professor Lord Stern of Brentford, Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Global School of Sustainability at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said:   

This carbon budget is in line with the expert independent advice of the Climate Change Committee, and is an important indicator that the UK will continue on the path to ending the UK’s contribution to climate change by reaching net zero emissions by 2050. The evidence is now clearer than ever that the investments required to make the transition away from fossil fuels are far smaller than the potential costs of climate change impacts. These investments in the clean technologies and businesses of the future will lower costs, drive growth and ensure that the UK remains competitive. Any slippage now on net zero by the UK, in light of its past leadership on climate change, would have serious and adverse knock-on effects on the commitments by other countries to decarbonise their economies.

Kevin Austin, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the RSPB, said:    

Moving away from our reliance on fossil fuels is critical to restoring nature in the UK. Our security, prosperity and wellbeing all rely on having a healthy natural world, and the good news is that nature can play a significant role in helping us to meet carbon targets. Restoring peatland, planting native trees, speeding up the rollout of renewable energy and decarbonising the economy are all key to delivering the healthy ecosystems people and wildlife depend on.

Holly Brazier Tope, Director of Politics at Green Alliance, said:    

The UK’s Climate Change Act has set the standard for climate legislation worldwide, and Carbon Budget 7 is a crucial part of delivering on that ambition. It’s an opportunity to cut emissions, secure our energy supply, lower bills and build a stronger, fairer economy, all while giving businesses and investors the long term certainty they need. With a clean energy workforce set to reach hundreds of thousands by 2030, the moment is there to be seized to deliver lasting prosperity for communities across the UK.

Nick Mabey Chief Executive of E3G, said: 

The British people, reeling from yet another oil and gas crisis, support ambitious action to transition to clean power, bring their energy bills back under control and tackle rising climate risks. Providing a predictable, long term forward policy is the best way to ensure the UK continues to benefit from the record amounts of investment in clean energy it is attracting. The alternative of ripping up twenty years of climate policy is a threat to British security and competitiveness.

Mike Childs, Head of Science, Policy and Research at Friends of the Earth, said:    

Extreme heat and record-breaking temperatures in May, more frequent and severe flooding, wildfires and drought – this is already the reality of the climate crisis in the UK.   

Cutting carbon emissions is vital to help avert the worst impacts of climate change, but it’s also our best opportunity to grow the economy, create jobs, deliver cheap homegrown energy and improve lives with warmer homes, better bus services and cleaner air.   

The alternative approach will leave the UK hooked on expensive gas, exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis, harm nature and commit future generations to climate chaos.

Rick Parfett, Head of Climate Policy at WWF, said:   

Another spike in gas prices shows the real cost of staying tied to fossil fuels. Reaching net zero won’t just protect the climate, it’ll help protect households, strengthen the economy, and safeguard the natural world we all rely on – and it will cost us less than one fossil fuel shock per decade. Our green economy is already a real success story, delivering growth in every part of the UK and supporting over a million jobs.    

Today’s announcement should give businesses confidence to invest in a fair transition, backed by independent advice and the Climate Change Act, but we need clear, credible and ambitious policies to make that happen. That means using the National Wealth Fund and GB Energy to help more people power their homes with clean energy, cut bills, and support nature’s recovery.

Maria Mendiluce, CEO at We Mean Business Coalition said:  

An 87% reduction in emissions by 2040 is a significant demonstration of UK leadership at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty and continued fossil fuel price volatility. The Climate Change Committee’s pathway provides a credible route to a more competitive, secure and resilient economy. Electrification and clean electricity sit at the heart of that pathway, delivering the majority of emissions reductions while reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. This decision by the UK will give businesses greater confidence to invest in the infrastructure, technologies and industries that will underpin future growth.

Bev Cornaby, Director at Corporate Leaders Group UK (CLG UK), said:   

Acting on climate change is both necessary for managing the real risks to the economy and widely supported by a large majority of British people. Recent events have underlined how tightly energy security, economic stability and market confidence are linked. And how global conflict can impact affordability.   

But as we act, we need a clear, evidence-based plan. The UK’s climate budget system gives us as a country the forward-looking clarity to make pragmatic plans about the future and ensure business and finance can invest with certainty in a green and growing economy. A much-needed focus toward homegrown clean power and electrification to provide energy security, protecting the UK economy from future fossil fuel price shocks, while creating jobs, is welcomed.

Rachael Orr, CEO of Climate Outreach said:   

We’ve made real progress in addressing climate change. Clean energy now powers more than 50% of Britain’s electricity. In our homes and communities, people are installing solar panels or switching to electric vehicles. Most Brits feel a sense of pride in this progress and want to see more of it. The seventh Carbon Budget charts a clear path to a better future for British people – cleaner air, warmer homes, and secure homegrown energy. The Government’s pace at putting these plans into practice – and ensuring real local benefits are seen and felt by all communities – will be vital.

Sofie Jenkinson, Co-Director of Round Our Way, said:  

Across the country we are seeing families and communities struggling with the cost and reliability of energy alongside being impacted by increasing extreme weather like floods and heatwaves. Everyone from footballers, farmers and fishers to parents, teachers, GPs, nurses and midwives are dealing with the impacts of climate change and the rising cost of energy in the UK, and we need a plan to tackle this, both now and in the future.   

The action the government is taking to move at pace on clean energy and electrification will not only insulate people from fuel price shocks by ensuring that we all have access to cheaper and more reliable home-grown energy, but will also mean that we are protecting the future of our homes, public services communities and favourite places – from football pitches and local pubs, to kid’s classrooms and hospital wards – from worsening climate impacts. Today’s plan from the government takes the issues we are facing today head-on and also ensures that we are protecting the future – of those we love, our favourite clubs and places and our communities.

Emily Morrison, Director Sustainability and Just Transition at The Young Foundation, said:  

Today’s Seventh Carbon Budget (CB7) proposes ambitious and practical pathways for action to lower energy bills, reduce price shocks, and create reliable food and fuel supplies for UK communities. At its heart, it recognises that a clean, green energy transition can help assure our safety, restore prosperity, and build renewed pride in the UK. This is starting to take effect. At The Young Foundation, we see appetite on a local level for the creation of green jobs, and for greater public uptake of green home energy, solar, retrofit and electric vehicles – as well as a passionate and growing community energy sector. Britain is making huge progress and we hope CB7 can support people – in every household and UK community – with balanced and scientifically robust next steps.

Catherine Pettengell, Executive Director of Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK), said:  

Taking action to address climate change is about better lives for everyone, and today’s seventh carbon budget ensures the UK is on the right path to achieve this. It is the right choice for UK families as well as for nature and our climate, and the only viable route to lowering fuel and food prices long-term and preventing the most costly impacts of climate change on our lives.  

By following the Climate Change Committee’s independent expert advice, the UK has set a target that is evidence-based and achievable, and setting these long-range carbon budgets has led to a thriving net zero economy in the UK with more than a million jobs.  

The UK could and should go further and faster. Countries and communities least responsible for the climate crisis and most marginalised are suffering its worst impacts. Surpassing this target would bring a better and fairer future not just for the UK but for communities around the world.

Kyle Lischak, Head of UK at ClientEarth, said:   

For too long, the people of the UK have been held hostage by the volatility of fossil fuel energy markets, and we’re pleased to see the government taking seriously the fact that the security and prosperity of the UK depends in part on investment in domestic renewables.  

We eagerly await the details of how this carbon budget will be achieved and hope the government can match the ambition of the target with credible, well-planned and sustainable delivery.

Helen Meech, Executive Director of The Climate Coalition, said:   

Setting an ambitious Seventh Carbon Budget is exactly what the country needs right now, when energy security, food resilience and the cost of living all depend on accelerating our transition away from fossil fuels. This weekend, Great Big Green Week kicks off across the UK, bringing together two million people from farmers and faith groups to schools and sports clubs, who are already playing their part for climate and nature and want to see their government match their ambition.

Helen Clarkson, CEO at the Climate Group, said:  

We welcome the government’s latest commitment to drive electrification and the transition to homegrown clean energy in the UK. Last week’s record-breaking heat has shown that we are already living in a rapidly changing climate and that if we don’t act decisively, it’ll only be a small taste of what is yet to come. This clear roadmap for the transition until 2042 gives the businesses we work with confidence to invest for the mid-to-long term at the speed and scale so urgently needed.

Mat Hunter, CEO of the Design Council, said:  

The Seventh Carbon Budget reinforces that the clean energy transition is one of the UK’s biggest economic opportunities driving investment, strengthening energy security and supporting growth across the country.  

But it also sharpens the choice: act with pace and capture the benefits of a fast-growing global market, or delay and bear the rising costs of volatile fossil fuels and climate impacts. 

At the Design Council, we see this as a moment to ensure that the transition delivers for people and places as well as the economy to create better outcomes in how we live, work and move, and ensuring the benefits are felt right across the country.

Chris Taylor, Net Zero Programme Director at the Broadway Initiative, said:  

The publication of Carbon Budget 7 provides a clearer long-term pathway than ever before. This is vital for investors and businesses to plan investments in clean and securer sources of energy. It also provides a stronger basis for sectors to collaborate with the Government under the Net Zero Council to develop Sector Transition Plans. These plans will turn this long-term direction into practical pathways for decarbonisation,  innovation and jobs in some of the fasting growing sectors of the future.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 28 May 2026.

Households across the UK continue to embrace solar power as the government accelerates its clean power mission.

• 269,000 solar installations completed in 2025 – the highest total ever recorded in a calendar year and 37% larger than the year before
• 23,000 new solar installations in April 2026, with more than half installed on homes – showing households are turning to homegrown energy following the war in Iran
• 9 of the 10 strongest months for solar deployment on record have happened within the last year

Households across the UK continue to embrace solar power as the government accelerates its clean power mission to reduce Britain’s exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets following the outbreak of the war in Iran. 

New government data published today shows that 2025 was the strongest year on record for solar deployment, with 269,000 installations completed across the UK. Around 255,000 of these were rooftop solar – meaning at least 95% of all new solar was installed on homes, businesses and other buildings. This equates to a new rooftop solar installation every 2 minutes throughout 2025.

April 2026 figures published today also confirm that 9 of the 10 best-performing months ever recorded have occurred in the past year, with nearly 23,000 new installations in the last month alone – and more than 1 in 2 of those being rooftop solar on homes, showing households are increasingly choosing to generate their own power. 

The milestone follows the UK surpassing 2 million total solar installations for the first time in March 2026, across homes, communities and solar farms nationwide. It also comes as new annual figures from the government today show that the cost of acquiring and installing solar PV has decreased by up to 9%.

The surge reflects growing government investment in solar power to deliver clean energy and help lower bills, with rooftop solar saving families up to £480 a month. This includes:

• consenting Springwell Solar Farm, the largest power-producing solar farm in UK history
• driving forward with the rollout of ‘plug-in’ solar panels (low-cost panels that families can put on their balconies or outdoor space) to be available in shops within months and save people money on their bills
• ensuring solar panels are fitted on new homes in England as standard

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

As we face a second fossil fuel crisis in 5 years, Britain is taking back control of their energy by generating more clean power than ever before. Record-breaking solar growth means greater energy security, lower exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets which we can’t control. 

This is what our clean power mission looks like: backing homegrown energy, giving people more control over their bills, and building a stronger, more resilient energy system for the future.

Businesses and public services are also embracing Britain’s solar revolution – cutting costs and strengthening energy security. 

Numatic International, the maker of Henry the Hoover, has launched a new solar park expected to supply around 20% of its Somerset factory’s electricity demand.  

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has installed rooftop solar expected to cut bills by around £9,500 a year, while Wren Kitchens is building what is set to become the UK’s largest factory rooftop solar array. 

These installations build on the success of Great British Energy’s solar scheme, with a further 100 schools and colleges set to receive rooftop solar this year.