Tag: Energy Security and Net Zero Department

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 17 April 2025.

British businesses and organisations better supported to trade carbon credits as part of new work to establish the UK as the global hub for green finance.

British businesses and organisations will be better supported to trade carbon credits as part of new work to establish the UK as the global hub for green finance – driving growth and investment while tackling the climate crisis through the Plan for Change.

Today the government has launched plans to strengthen voluntary carbon and nature markets which can help leverage the finance needed to address the scale of the climate emergency whilst diversifying revenue streams for British businesses.

These markets support the trading of carbon credits, where a business can reduce their emissions by investing in environmentally friendly projects such as deploying electric vehicles, reducing deforestation, removing carbon dioxide through carbon dioxide or planting trees.

Currently these markets are not realising their full potential, with a lack of clarity among businesses and organisations on how they can be used, and some poor practice impacting their effectiveness in delivering meaningful climate action and economic growth. There have been widespread calls from businesses and organisations for greater clarity in how to use these markets as part of their plans to reach net zero.

In response, the UK is establishing a global framework to build trust and confidence in carbon and nature credit trading, with a set of principles to guide and support businesses on how to use carbon credits that provide environmental benefits. This includes making clear what a good credit is, ensuring they are delivering environmental benefits and encouraging businesses to fully disclose what they are being used for in annual sustainability reporting.

These markets are estimated to be worth up to $250 billion by 2050 for carbon markets, and $69 billion for nature markets, under the right conditions. By increasing confidence in these markets, British businesses – including farmers and land managers –  will be well positioned to seize the economic rewards by creating new revenue streams and investment opportunities.

These plans will further strengthen the UK as the green finance capital of the world – leading the way in a new growth market, unlocking private finance for climate change and backing businesses on the clean energy transition.

Positive climate action can lead to significant growth opportunities for UK businesses with the UK seeing £43.7 billion of private investment into UK’s clean energy industries since July. Recent figures from the CBI shows that the net zero economy grew 3 times faster than the economy as a whole last year, with employment in the sector up by over 10%.

Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:

Building up trust in carbon and nature markets is crucial to their success in driving meaningful climate action and real, lasting change for the environment.

The UK is determined to spearhead global efforts to raise integrity in these markets so they can channel the finance needed to tackle the climate crisis and speed up the global clean energy transition.

These principles will cement the UK as the global hub for green finance and carbon markets. This is an opportunity to deliver on the climate crisis and drive investment and growth in the UK as part of our Plan for Change.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

Nature underpins everything. Voluntary carbon and nature markets will be an important tool to crowd in private finance to protect our precious peatlands, important habitats and rare species.

It is why increasing trust in these markets will ensure that they benefit both people and our planet, ensuring money flows towards genuine environmental improvement projects and creates new sources of finance for farmers and land managers in the UK.

Carbon credits are tradable units that represent the reduction or removal of greenhouse gases emissions from the atmosphere. One credit typically represents one metric tonne of CO2 or its equivalent. Companies or individuals purchase these credits from project developers who have generated them through activities like reforestation, cleaner energy, or other emission reduction projects. By buying the credits, they are financing projects that would not otherwise happen, in addition to steps that they are taking to reduce their own emissions.

Mark Kenber, Executive Director, Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) said:

Businesses need clarity and confidence to invest in voluntary carbon and nature markets that help meet global climate goals. This consultation from the UK government plays a vital role in delivering this.

VCMI welcomes the proposal to recognise our Claims Code as international best practice, as well as the global leadership shown by the UK’s proposal to incentivise greater action by companies to address their unabated Scope 3 emissions through the inclusion of our forthcoming Scope 3 Action Code of Practice. The Code of Practice will enable companies to go further, faster and with integrity on climate action.

The proposals in the consultation align with the UK government’s new approach to ensure regulation supports growth. The consultation explores the recommendation in the recently published Corry Review to launch a Nature Market Accelerator to bring coherence to nature markets and accelerate investment.

The consultation will be live for 12 weeks, seeking responses from industry organisations and the public:

Voluntary carbon and nature markets: raising integrity

Onel Masardule, Co-Chair, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Engagement Forum, Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) said:

For the voluntary carbon market to succeed, it must respect the rights and interests of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and make us true partners – rather than just stakeholders – in the market. ICVCM’s The Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) define what high integrity carbon credits should look like: ensuring that new carbon projects have robust social and environmental safeguards, operate with the free, prior and informed consent and are transparent about how they share benefits. I welcome the UK government’s proposal to endorse the use of CCP-labelled credits and encourage other governments to do the same. This will provide clarity on what high integrity means to enable the market to scale to accelerate climate action and deliver positive environmental and social outcomes at the local level.

Notes to editors

The 6 integrity principles being consulted on are:

• suppliers should ensure credits meet recognised high integrity criteria that ensure credits deliver environmental benefits
• buyers should measure and disclose the planned use of credits as part of sustainability reporting
• users should consider how credits feed into wider transition plans that align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement
• claims involving the use of credits should accurately communicate an organisation or product’s overall environmental impact, including by using appropriate and accurate terminology
• market participants should cooperate with others to support the growth of high integrity markets
• credits should only be used in addition to ambitious climate action within value chains

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 15 April 2025.

Ofgem is expected to confirm the National Energy System Operator’s ambitious new plan to reform grid connections and unlock billions of investment.

So-called ‘zombie’ projects will no longer hold up the queue for connection to the electricity grid to prioritise businesses that will drive growth and deliver energy security.

Companies are currently waiting up to 15 years to be connected to the grid leaving promising businesses ‘grid-locked’, and over the last 5 years, the grid connection queue has grown tenfold.

The changes will help to kick-start the economy to put more money in working people’s pockets, the first priority of the government’s Plan for Change.

Ofgem is expected to confirm the ambitious new plan later today (Tuesday 15 April), drafted by the National Energy System Operator in partnership with the energy industry.

The reforms will help unlock £40 billion a year of mainly private investment, growing the economy, creating jobs and raising living standards as a key part of the government’s Plan for Change.

This builds on the latest figures showing that since July, the clean energy industry is now booming in Britain, with £43.7 billion of private investment being announced into the UK’s clean energy industries.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Too many companies are facing gridlock because they cannot get the clean energy they need to drive growth and create jobs.

These changes will axe ‘zombie’ projects and cut the time it takes to get high growth firms online while also fast-tracking connections for companies delivering homegrown power and energy security through our Plan for Change.

In an uncertain world, our message to the global clean energy industry is clear; come and build it in Britain because we are a safe haven. If you want certainty, stability and security when it comes to your investments, choose Britain.

The plan comes after the Prime Minister has said that a new era of global insecurity means that the government must go further and faster reshaping the economy through the Plan for Change, and that this requires a new muscular industrial policy that supports British industry to forge ahead.

Lack of access to grid connections has been a significant factor holding back new investment in UK industries.

Under the new changes, industries of the future from data centres and AI, to wind and solar projects, will be accelerated for grid connections.

That means deprioritising those projects that are not ready or not aligned with strategic plans.

New commitments to investing in the UK have topped £38 billion since July 2024 for data centres alone, but grid access is the single biggest challenge facing these projects.

Today’s reforms will help fast track projects to generate homegrown, renewable electricity into homes and businesses, protecting British billpayers from the rollercoaster of global fossil fuel markets and building an energy system that can bring down bills for good.

Delivering these reforms will help unleash £40 billion a year of mainly private investment in homegrown clean power projects and infrastructure across the country, creating good jobs across the country including engineers, welders and construction workers.

By taking a strategic, planned approach the changes will remove the need for tens of billions of pounds of unnecessary grid reinforcement, saving billpayers £5 billion that would have been funded through charges on bills.

Ofgem CEO, Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer, Ofgem said:

The proposed connection reforms will supercharge Great Britain’s clean power ambitions with a more targeted approach anticipated to unlock £40 billion a year of investment and energise economic growth.

The reforms would cut through red tape, consign ‘zombie projects’ to the past and accelerate homegrown renewable power and energy storage connections as we head to 2030.

Houses and hospitals, electric vehicle charging stations, data centres and the emerging AI sector, would also all benefit from the proposed streamlined fast-track approach, which would help boost energy security and drive down bills.

Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, National Energy System Operator, said:

Reforming the connections process is a key enabler for delivering Clean Power by 2030 and will drive economic growth for Great Britain. Today’s milestone reflects the close collaboration across the energy industry with support from the government and Ofgem.

Together with the wider energy industry, NESO will focus on prioritising agreements for projects that are critical and shovel ready, bringing these to the front of the queue and giving developers the certainty they need to support investment decisions.

Notes to editors

Through the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the government is also bringing forward legislation to support Ofgem and NESO to deliver the reforms.

Every family and business in the country has paid the price of Britain’s dependence on foreign fossil fuel markets, which was starkly exposed when Putin invaded Ukraine and British energy customers were among the hardest hit in Western Europe, with bills reaching record heights.

The government’s clean power mission is the solution to this crisis; by sprinting to clean, homegrown energy, including renewables and nuclear, the UK can take back control of its energy and protect both family and national finances from fossil fuel price spikes with cleaner, affordable power.

The Clean Power Action Plan estimated that Clean Power 2030 could require around £40 billion of investment on average per year between 2025 to 2030. This includes around £30 billion of investment in generation assets per year, estimated by DESNZ, and around £10 billion of investment in electricity transmission network assets per year, estimated by NESO.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 14 April 2025.

Government welcomes Official Partners of International Summit on the Future of Energy Security.

The government has today (Monday 14 April) announced the four Official Partners sponsoring the upcoming summit marking a new era for energy security.

Energy ministers and key energy sector decision makers from around the world will convene at the UK Government and International Energy Agency’s Summit on the Future of Energy Security, co-hosted by the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and IEA Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol, at Lancaster House, London, on 24-25 April.

Sponsorship from Iberdrola/ScottishPower, National Grid, SSE and Urenco will help deliver the summit at a lower cost to UK taxpayers and demonstrates their ongoing commitment to delivering clean energy and energy security in the UK and around the world.

In recent years, energy security has risen up the global agenda as countries act to respond to today’s challenges and protect themselves from future energy shocks. The summit is an opportunity to cooperate on rising to the challenges the world faces on energy security and seizing the opportunities to act. It comes as the UK sets a global example by accelerating to a new era of clean electricity by 2030.

The Official Partners

Iberdrola/ScottishPower

Iberdrola is the largest utility in Europe, with a market capitalization of £85 billion, and serves 100 million people worldwide thanks to a diversified portfolio of businesses across the electricity value chain in the UK, the US, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil and Australia. In the UK, Iberdrola is investing £24 billion up to 2028 through ScottishPower, mainly in transmission and distribution networks and offshore wind. Overall, the Group is dedicating around 70% of its investments to power networks to accelerate electrification as a way to increase energy security and competitiveness, create new industries and jobs, and improve sustainability. Around two thirds of Iberdrola’s global investments are allocated to the UK and to the US

Iberdrola Executive Chairman Ignacio Galán said:

Energy security is the first step towards overall security. Digitalization, big data, AI and the industries of the future rely on a secure power supply, driving demand growth not seen for decades, and network infrastructures are the backbone of a resilient power system.  Driven by the UK Government’s clear and stable energy policies, Iberdrola is investing £24 billion to 2028 in the UK in transmission, distribution and offshore wind to guarantee energy security, growth and competitiveness. We welcome the IEA and UK Government bringing together key policy makers and energy companies to analyse how best to enhance energy security globally.

National Grid

National Grid is investing £60 billion in energy networks over the next five years in the UK and the northeastern United States. This represents nearly double the investment of the previous five years. Its commitment will unlock significant economic growth, create thousands of new jobs, reduce energy bills in the long term, increase energy security, and support an increasingly decarbonised, electrified economy.

National Grid Chief Executive Officer John Pettigrew said:

National Grid is investing £60 billion in energy networks to 2029, boosting energy security, driving economic growth, and supporting 60,000 more jobs across the UK and US. Innovation and investment will be essential to unlocking the benefits of the energy transformation for customers and communities; it is essential that events like this exist to enable the sector to collaborate and drive progress forwards.

SSE

SSE is a UK-listed and headquartered company investing £20 billion over five years to 2027 in renewable energy, electricity networks, and flexible power generation. Harnessing some of Europe’s best renewable resources with projects like Dogger Bank – the world’s largest offshore wind farm – SSE generates homegrown clean energy, protecting billpayers from overdependence on imported fossil fuels. It also builds and operate vital transmission and distribution grids to connect and transport more secure power to homes and businesses. At the same time, through its fleet of flexible generation and storage assets across hydro, batteries and efficient gas-fired power stations, it provides the balance required to ensure an increasingly renewable energy system is not only cleaner but more secure.

SSE Chief Executive Officer Alistair Phillips-Davies said:

It has never been clearer that energy security equates to national security – and achieving it requires countries to focus both on developing their own homegrown energy sources and on international cooperation to ensure increased flexibility and resilience. This principle is at the heart of the UK Government’s Clean Power Mission, and we are proud to be playing our part in delivering mission-critical investments across renewables, networks, and system flexibility. But there is more we can and must do, and we are therefore thrilled to be partnering with the UK Government and the IEA to advance this crucial agenda.

Urenco

Urenco is a global uranium enrichment company, fuelling nuclear power plants to ensure a secure, reliable, and low carbon supply of energy. With four facilities in different countries within the Western world, it is providing customers with choice of where to receive their supply from and are rapidly ramping up capacity to meet increased demand.

Urenco Chief Executive Officer Boris Schucht said:

There are now well-established drivers for an enhanced role of nuclear power: the need to meet climate change goals; and the need for countries to have a secure and independent energy supply. As a long-standing and integral part of the global nuclear industry, Urenco sees it as our responsibility to make a valuable contribution to meeting world-wide energy needs, complementing other low carbon sources through a 24/7 supply which is cost effective over the lifetime of a reactor. We will continue to collaborate with partners across the energy sector and beyond to help ensure the reliable, clean energy system our world needs are achieved.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 7 April 2025.

Government and industry to train up ‘clean power army’ of apprentice engineers, welders, and technicians.

Young people will be trained to fill thousands of clean energy jobs and apprenticeships needed to deliver clean power by 2030 as part of the government’s Plan for Change to get Britain working and unlock growth.

The Energy Secretary has told industry, unions and trade bodies that the government will work with them to build a clean power army to hit ambitious targets for clean power by 2030 at a forum convened with the Work and Pensions Secretary today (Monday 7 April 2025).

The transition to clean power will create thousands of opportunities across the sector, from renewables to upgrading the UK’s grid infrastructure.

National Grid alone plans to support around 55,000 more jobs by the end of the decade and SSE Transmission plans are supporting a further 37,000 jobs, 17,500 of which would be in Scotland. Scottish Power’s SP Energy Networks plans to double its transmission workforce to create around 1,400 jobs and support a further 11,000 jobs across the UK – with all 3 plans subject to approvals by the regulator.

The government is driving forward with Regional Skills Pilot in the clean energy sector. Aberdeen, Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire have all been identified as key growth regions for clean energy. Local partners will receive funding to identify the skills support that is needed in their area to deliver clean power by 2030, which will protect households and businesses from unstable fossil fuel markets for good.

Funding could go towards new training centres, courses or career advisers – supporting local people into opportunities in industries such as welding, electrical engineering, and construction.

The government is wasting no time in investing in good jobs for British industries, including thousands of new, skilled jobs being supported in the North East of England as contracts for the first carbon capture, usage and storage were signed in December, following a £21.7 billion commitment from the government to ensure the UK’s vision for CCUS becomes a reality. The government has also invested £55 million for port of Cromarty, to transform it into a major hub for the UK’s world-leading floating offshore wind industry, creating hundreds of skilled jobs and generating growth.

The latest CBI Economics figures show jobs supported by net zero sectors increased by 10% last year, with the average annual wage across the sector at £43,000 – £5,600 higher than the national average.

The push to support more clean energy jobs comes as the government delivers the most ambitious reforms of the UK’s energy system in a generation and record investment into homegrown clean energy projects.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

The energy sector has always been a source of good, skilled, and unionised jobs for young people across the UK, providing secure, well-paid employment for life.

To meet our target to reach clean power by 2030, we need a clean power army of engineers, welders and technicians – giving thousands of young people the opportunity to play a vital role in tackling the climate crisis, increasing our energy security and boosting the economy to deliver our Plan for Change.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

With almost a million young people neither earning nor learning it is vital that we give this generation the tools they need to seize the opportunity that is the clean energy transition.

Our plan to Get Britian Working will overhaul employment support, giving everyone the tools and skills they need to and build a stronger, more prosperous future for them and their families.

The government launched its Get Britain Working white paper late last year, outlining the biggest employment reforms in a generation and boost employment including reforming Jobcentres to create a genuinely public employment service so everyone can get personalised skills and employment support, as well as a Youth Guarantee ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn. Alongside government work to drive up employment and opportunities, the renewable sector will also continue to turbocharge the economy.

The government is working closely with employers to train up Britain’s young people to seize clean energy opportunities. Trade unions will also have an essential role in building the UK’s skilled energy workforce, with the government determined to drive world-class pay, terms, and conditions in the clean energy sector. The government is already driving better access and conditions for unions in the energy sector- since July EDF Renewables UK and Ireland have signed one of the first renewables industry recognition agreements with Prospect, Unite, GMB and UNISON.

The government has also launched Skills England and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions.

Opportunities are already being created through a number of schemes and initiatives to deliver training and skills for apprentices and workers transitioning from the fossil fuel sector, including innovative schemes such as the:

• Skills Passport: This supports oil and gas workers to identify routes into several roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance
• Your Apprenticeship app: A new app designed by the government with extensive input from apprentices to provide easier access to essential tools, resources, and support to help apprentices to thrive in their qualification

Whilst driving up employment and opportunities, the renewable sector will also continue to turbocharge the economy.

CBI Economics analysis commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows that the net zero sector already contributes £83 billion annually to the UK economy, with further investment into projects predicted to grow this even further.

Government research has also revealed the extent in which apprenticeships can help drive this growth, with apprentices in England across the economy estimated to create £25 billion of economic growth over their lifetime.

Through investment and initiatives, the government will help build the pipeline of skilled workers needed to deliver clean power by 2030, which will unlock £40 billion of investment a year and reindustrialise Britain with thousands of good jobs across the country. This underscores the government’s commitment to deliver a jobs-rich clean energy transition, putting communities and trade unions at the heart of the UK’s clean energy future.

Notes to editors

Skills is a devolved policy area, and therefore the remit of Skills England and the Your Apprenticeship App will only cover England. However, Skills England will assess skills needs across the whole of the UK and DESNZ is working closely with the devolved governments on ensuring we have the skilled workforce for the clean energy transition, including through the Regional Skills Pilots.

The RIIO T3 business plans for the UK’s 3 electricity transmission companies are all subject to approval by the energy regulator Ofgem.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 7 April 2025.

A new wave of hydrogen powered projects have been shortlisted today to help cut emissions and create thousands of jobs in the UK’s industrial heartlands.

A new wave of hydrogen powered projects have been shortlisted today (Monday 7 April) to help cut emissions and create thousands of jobs in the UK’s industrial heartlands – driving growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Twenty-seven hydrogen projects have been selected for the next stage of the Second Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR2) – supporting low-carbon hydrogen production in the UK. The industry has the potential to attract over £1 billion of private sector investment into the UK by 2029, supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.

Hydrogen will help deliver a new era of clean energy across the UK and decarbonise emission-intensive industries. It has already attracted £400 million of private sector investment in towns and cities such as Milford Haven in Wales and High Marnham in Nottinghamshire, and is creating over 700 direct jobs in construction and operations.

Government support for hydrogen will help create thousands more jobs in the sector and reindustrialising the UK’s proud manufacturing regions. This includes roles for apprentices, graduates and technically trained professionals, such as engineers, welders, skilled construction workers, pipefitters and operations specialists.

Today’s shortlist includes projects that could use hydrogen to help tackle the climate crisis by decarbonising their manufacturing and industrial practices, including ammonia production, new clean power generation, glass manufacturing, brick making, and sustainable aviation fuel production.

Industry Minister Sarah Jones, said:

 We are deploying hydrogen at a commercial scale for the first time – not just investing in a technology – but investing in British jobs, our proud manufacturing communities and our energy security.

From distilleries and sustainable aviation fuel to public transport and clean energy  generation, hydrogen can power our everyday life and unlock clean energy growth across the country as part of our Plan for Change.

Green hydrogen is produced by using renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, resulting in a zero-carbon fuel that can be used for power generation, transport  and industrial processes.

This builds on the success of the First Hydrogen Allocation Round which saw 11 projects being allocated over £2 billion in government funding. One recipient, Whitelee Green Hydrogen in Scotland, will produce hydrogen for the Inchdairnie Whiskey distillery which intends to sustainably distil whisky by 2027.

Stretching across England, Scotland, and Wales, this latest wave of shortlisted HAR2 projects showcases the government’s commitment to create skilled jobs and establish clean energy hubs across Great Britain. The HAR2 shortlist could lead to projects that help support strong supply chains and the delivery of the clean energy superpower mission.

Dr Emma Guthrie, CEO of the Hydrogen Energy Association, said:

This much-anticipated announcement brings vital clarity to the UK’s hydrogen sector, providing a crucial boost for projects that will drive forward the country’s low-carbon transition.

The funding support offered through HAR2 gives our members and the wider industry the confidence to gear up for delivery, unlocking investment, creating jobs, and driving economic growth.

This is great news – not just for the hydrogen sector but for the UK’s ambition to become energy secure and a global leader in clean energy.

Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, said:

We’re thrilled to see many Hydrogen UK members succeed in the second Hydrogen Allocation Round, marking a crucial step for scaling electrolytic hydrogen.

This progress builds on valuable lessons from past rounds and strengthens UK leadership in clean energy – reinforcing the sector’s crucial role in economic growth and energy security.

Case studies

In December 2023, the government announced an initial 11 projects from the First Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1), totalling 124 MW of production capacity.

Five of these projects have signed their contracts, including the Bradford Low Carbon project in Yorkshire and the Cromarty Hydrogen Project in northeast Scotland.

The Bradford Low Carbon project, in the heart of the city centre, will use renewable electricity to power a 10.6 MW alkaline electrolyser. Being developed by Hygen and Ryze, it will supply the mobility sector, including JCB diggers and Wrightbus – which developed the world’s first hydrogen powered bus.

The Cromarty Hydrogen Project is being developed by Scottish Power and Storegga. It will use electricity from nearby wind farms to power an 11 MW electrolyser, supplying hydrogen to local industries, including distilleries.

Notes to editors

The full list of shortlisted projects can be found here: Hydrogen Allocation Round 2 (HAR2): shortlisted projects.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 3 April 2025.

A first of its kind partnership between the government and private sector could see over £100 million invested into the UK’s growing fusion energy industry.

Today (3 April) the government has announced £20 million to kickstart ‘Starmaker One’ – a British private fusion investment fund that will help fusion businesses and start-ups in the sector grow and commercialise at scale.

It is expected the upfront investment will unlock further investment from the private sector as the fusion industry grows – helping cement the UK as a world leader in the technology and creating highly-skilled jobs.

Fusion uses the same process that powers the sun by combining two forms of hydrogen and heating them at extreme temperatures, releasing vast amounts of energy.

Companies in the UK have often identified lack of access to capital as a barrier to scaling up and commercialising their businesses. An injection of cash from government will give the private sector confidence to invest in fusion, developing its vast potential as an unlimited source of energy and ensuring the UK continues to compete in the global fusion race.

The funding boost will help small fusion companies provide training for their workforce in key areas such as physics, engineering and chemistry. It will also support companies to develop technologies and capitalise on the opportunities of fusion energy in markets such as magnetics, industrial AI, robotics, healthcare, transportation and energy storage.

Fusion already supports thousands of jobs in the UK, in regions such as Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire and South Yorkshire, with thousands more to follow as the technology advances. Fusion is a key industry sector in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor with independent research from London Economics showing that every £1 invested in fusion it benefits the economy by nearly £4.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

This government is taking back control of Britain’s energy by driving for clean homegrown power through our Plan for Change.

Fusion has the potential to provide us with energy security, whilst attracting the best technologies to our shores and training up the next generation of British scientists and engineers.

We are backing both nuclear and fusion power, and today we take a step forward in growing this exciting industry.

Science Minister and Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion, Lord Vallance said:

Fusion energy is a technology with enormous potential, and an industry in which the UK is already well established.    This investment will help to unlock the funding the fusion industry needs to grow, which will boost regions across the UK such as Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire, and in Culham in Oxfordshire, the epicentre of UK fusion.

Energy Minister Kerry McCarthy, said:

This investment is our Plan for Change in action – we are backing British pioneers to secure the clean energy of the future while supporting jobs today, from scientists and welders to engineers and construction managers.

As countries around the world recognise the huge potential of fusion, breakthroughs in this technology are happening thick and fast, and we want to keep the UK at the forefront of the global race by helping projects to innovate and grow here, in turn driving economic growth.

Investment in Starmaker One signals the first early-stage fusion energy venture capital fund outside the US and the first of its kind to partner with government as an investor. Investing in fusion technology will pave the way to delivering a clean safe, secure and abundant baseload energy, helping to meet rising energy demand in the years ahead.

This investment will give industry cash upfront to grow their businesses and supply chains. It follows on from a government commitment for a record level of £410 million, announced in January, for UK fusion research and collaboration with other countries to develop clean, unlimited power and drive economic growth.

Successful deployment of fusion energy would be globally transformative and allow the UK to export the technology to a global fusion market expected to be worth trillions of pounds in the future.

This notice is for information only and does not constitute an invitation to invest. The fund is not available to retail investors.

Notes for editors

• Starmaker One is a limited partnership in which the government is a cornerstone investor. The fund has potential to raise between £100 million and £150 million overall (including the £20 million from DESNZ) for investment into fusion-related technology
• East X Ventures will act as fund manager. Government will receive a share of any returns made by the partnership
• East X Ventures is the venture capital arm of East X, a London based quantitative systematic research and investment firm operating across global commodity markets.  East X Ventures invests in early-stage, science-led companies with high-growth, world-scale potential
• The funding comes from the government’s existing Research and Development budget for 2024/2025.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 11 March 2025.

Hundreds of thousands of homes in England to benefit from energy efficiency upgrades, helping families stay warm and cut bills.

Up to 170,000 homes in England will benefit from energy efficiency upgrades as the rollout of the Warm Homes Plan gathers pace, helping more families lower their energy bills and improve their homes.

£1.8 billion in government support will from today (Tuesday 11 March) be allocated to local authorities and social housing providers, in a new boost which will support them to deliver warmer, more energy efficient homes in local communities across England.

This funding will be targeted towards low-income households and tenants living in social housing, with thousands of families set to receive energy performance and clean heating upgrades in the form of insulation, solar panels and heat pumps.

At a time when many are experiencing high energy bills driven by the UK’s reliance on international gas markets, this funding through the Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund schemes could now help households save hundreds of pounds a year.

This move will help deliver a milestone of higher living standards in every part of the UK by the end of Parliament by boosting people’s Real Household Disposable Income – a key part of our Plan for Change.

Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said:

Living in a warm, comfortable home should not be a luxury. It is a right that has been out of reach for too many people for too long.

By giving this funding to local authorities and social housing providers we are delivering on our promise to improve the homes of thousands of people across England.

As part of our Plan for Change, we are powering on with our Warm Homes Plan, upgrading cold and draughty homes so they are warmer, cleaner, and cheaper to live in.

The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund will deliver up to £1.29 billion of funding to 144 projects across England with the Warm Homes: Local Grant allocating £500 million to 73 projects across 270 local authorities over the next 3 years.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will receive an allocation of this funding as part of the Warm Homes and Public Sector Decarbonisation Devolution Programme.

This funding complements the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, delivering energy security and bringing down bills for good.

The expected rise in the price cap shows once again the cost of remaining reliant on the unstable global fossil fuel markets that are driving price increases.

The funding allocations follows the recent announcement on the Warm Homes Discount with almost 3 million more households, including almost 1 million households with children, becoming eligible for £150 to pay their energy bills next winter, as the government consults on proposals to offer more support to consumers across the country.

This comes after other government support to deliver warmer, more energy efficient homes and protect consumers, including:

• consulting on plans to mandate private landlords in England and Wales to improve the energy performance of their properties by 2030, saving private renters £240 per year on average on their energy bills
• setting out a £500 million Winter Package with Energy UK to help customers with their energy bills
• extending the Household Support Fund to help vulnerable households with essential costs like food, energy, and water bills
• helping more families get a heat pump by almost doubling the budget for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in the next financial year to £295 million, along with allocating an extra £55 million for the rest of this financial year. And removing the rule requiring heat pumps to be installed at least one metre from a property’s boundary

Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said:

We welcome this funding allocation to help decarbonise England’s social homes; a crucial step towards the government’s commitment to tackle fuel poverty.

With the fund oversubscribed, it is clear that there is both momentum and appetite among housing associations to upgrade their homes at scale and pace. The sector is working hard to ensure all their homes meet EPC C by 2030, in line with the government’s net zero target.

Decarbonising our homes is a win win for residents, the government and our planet, creating warmer homes, saving residents money and tackling the climate emergency.

Gavin Smart, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute for Housing (CIH), said:

We welcome this investment as another important step towards making homes warmer, healthier, and more affordable to run. Social landlords have worked hard to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, and this funding will help them to continue that work—supporting retrofit programmes that will reduce fuel poverty, lower carbon emissions, and bring down energy bills for tenants.

The strong demand for this funding highlights how vital energy efficiency investment is for the social housing sector. CIH will continue to work with government and our members to support the effective rollout of this funding and advocate for the long-term investment needed to make all homes warmer and safer.

Tracy Harrison, Chief Executive of the Northern Housing Consortium, said:

The North has lots of older, colder homes – with 1 in 5 built before 1919 and almost a million households currently in fuel poverty – so this Warm Homes investment will make a big difference to people’s lives. NHC members, including housing associations, local authorities and combined authorities across the North, are working to tackle this by installing tens of thousands of energy efficiency measures from heat pumps to home insulation.

This extra funding from government is very welcome and will boost these efforts, helping to cut carbon emissions, support jobs, cut fuel bills and tackle fuel poverty. We also welcome the move to devolve retrofit funding in the North through the allocation of funding to Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Integrated Settlement.

This will allow funding to better align with locally led plans for economic growth, training and skills provision, as well as support greater collaboration between housing providers in Greater Manchester. We know there is continuing appetite from our members to continue to make our homes more energy efficient.

Derek Horrocks, Chairman of Sustainable Energy UL, said:

With up to 170,000 households supported under today’s announcement, this will positively impact thousands of the most vulnerable in society through the creation of warmer, healthier, drier, and more affordable-to-heat homes.

Building on the success of previous energy efficiency programmes, the initiative will also drive significant investment in training and skills development, strengthening the workforce needed for the UK’s transition to net zero. Alongside safeguarding existing jobs, the plan will also generate thousands of new roles in the growing green economy and enable the supply chain to continue to invest in the sector for the long term with confidence.

The press release issued by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero on 10 March 2025.

Dozens of clean energy projects will jump to the front of the queue for grid connections, through new measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

• Grid connections for the most important projects for clean power to be prioritised by 2030, replacing the archaic ‘first come, first served’ process
• Wait for new grid connections will be cut by up to seven years
• Measures include speeding up the construction of new energy infrastructure with targeted reforms to support planning decisions on at least 150 major projects this Parliament
• Delivering the government’s clean power mission and Plan for Change to drive growth, create jobs, and protect billpayers in every region across the country

Dozens of clean energy projects, including wind and solar power, will jump to the front of the queue for grid connections, as the government paves the way for a new era of clean electricity through the Plan for Change to achieve clean power by 2030.

The landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill will be formally introduced to Parliament this week, laying the groundwork for a new approach to prioritise new transmission infrastructure which will unlock growth with £200 billion of investment and protect households from the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets.

Ready-to-go projects from solar farms to new factories currently face lengthy connection waits of up to 10 years due to an out of date connections process, creating uncertainty for communities and businesses, costing the taxpayer millions of pounds, and weakening the country’s energy security.

The flawed ‘first come, first served’ process is preventing viable infrastructure from being able to connect ahead of speculative projects clogging up the queue, and will be replaced by a ‘first ready, first connected’ system that prioritises the right homegrown clean power projects for quicker connections to build an energy system that can bring down bills for good.

For decades, developers, energy companies and businesses have been inundated with lengthy processes and planning delays that have acted as a barrier to growth, and the forthcoming Bill will set out how the delivery process for critical infrastructure will be streamlined.

Decisions for onshore and offshore wind, solar power, electricity grids, hydrogen, carbon capture and nuclear power stations will be fast-tracked to accelerate growth, creating thousands of new jobs, adding billions to the UK economy, and delivering more clean energy for people to heat and power their homes.

These changes will not only rollback planning delays to get Britain building but also deliver a more prosperous and energy secure future for the next generation, as part of the government’s Plan for Change to boost growth and living standards in every region across the country and put more money back into people’s pockets.

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said:

“Time and again blockers have been allowed to halt progress at every turn which has weakened our energy security and left our country exposed to soaring energy bills for working people, families and businesses. This cannot and will not continue under my watch.

“Through our landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill we’re taking bold action to fix the broken planning system, paving the way for us to get Britain building more vital infrastructure so our children and grandchildren can grow up in a more energy secure world.

“This is just one of many steps we’re taking to deliver our Plan for Change for working people and families with a decade of national renewal, unleashing growth to boost living standards, slash everyday costs and increase prosperity for all.”

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

“The only way to get Britain off dependency on fossil fuel markets controlled by dictators is with clean homegrown power that we control.

“By taking on a broken planning system that puts the brakes on growth, this Government is driving forward with our clean energy superpower mission and Plan for change

“Every turbine, every solar panel, every cable we connect helps protect families and paves the way for a new era of clean energy for our country.”

New measures will speed up the approval process for nationally significant infrastructure projects by making consultation less burdensome, strengthening guidance to expert bodies and local authorities about their role in the process, and updating National Policy Statements at least every five years to reflect government priorities for infrastructure delivery.

This will support the government’s pledge to make planning decisions on at least 150 major infrastructure projects, including wind, solar, and hydrogen, in this Parliament – almost tripling the 57 decisions made in the previous Parliament and more than 130 made since 2011.

The government has already agreed 10 so far, including several energy projects such as six solar farms, amounting to nearly 3 gigawatts of new clean energy for the country.

A series of targeted reforms to accelerate growth and speed up the government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan will be brought forward in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. These include:

• People living within up to 500 metres of new pylons will get electricity bill discounts of up to £2,500 over 10 years to ensure those hosting critical grid infrastructure benefit from supporting the government’s mission to clean power by the end of this decade.
• Instructing Ofgem to deliver a ‘cap and floor’ scheme to unlock billions of pounds of investment in long duration electricity storage (LDES) to store renewable power and deliver the first major projects in four decades.
• Replacing street works licences with permits to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle chargepoints and make it easier, cheaper, and faster to install on public roads and streets.
• Changes to the outdated planning rules for new clean electricity infrastructure in Scotland, such as onshore wind farms and pylons, cutting excessive and costly delays to the process while ensuring local voices are heard in applications.
• An extension to the generator commissioning period (GCC) from 18 to 27 months to reduce the number of offshore wind farms requiring exemptions when applying for licences to connect to onshore cables and substations.

Further changes will also be confirmed to the excessive rules around attempts to block major infrastructure through the courts with more unarguable cases thrown out, so nuclear plants and wind farms can be approved and built faster. This is on top of streamlining environment assessments to save developers time and money while boosting nature recovery and wildlife.

Note to editors:

• The government recently announced its commitment to deliver a new 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, providing more certainty for supply chains and helping to unlock private investment over the next decade for new housing, schools, hospitals, and public transport.
• New planning reforms unveiled this week will also support the government’s Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years, recognising that more renewable energy and electricity networks are crucial to meeting this ambitious target.
• Working with Parliamentarians, the government will ensure a smooth and speedy delivery of the Bill to become law as soon as possible.
• Reforms to the grid connections queue are subject to a final approval by Ofgem. In February, Ofgem announced it is minded to approve the reforms.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 5 March 2025.

The government is consulting on plans to put the North Sea at the heart of Britain’s clean energy future and drive economic growth.

• UK government consults on plan to unleash the North Sea’s clean energy future and ensure prosperous and sustainable transition for oil and gas
• this plan backs industry to make North Sea a world-leader in offshore industries, such as hydrogen, carbon capture and wind, as part of the government’s clean energy superpower mission
• it also offers oil and gas industry long-term certainty on the fiscal landscape by ending the Energy Profits Levy and consulting on a new regime to boost investment in jobs and growth
• consultation gives certainty to industry about the lifespan of oil and gas projects by committing to maintain existing fields for their lifetime and work with business and communities on a managed transition, while implementing the commitment not to issue new licences to explore new fields

The government has today (Wednesday 5 March) launched a consultation that will put the North Sea – its communities, workers, businesses and supply chains – at the heart of Britain’s clean energy future to drive economic growth and deliver the Plan for Change.

This will support private investment into the technologies that will deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers, invest in local communities, cut carbon emissions and help the UK become energy secure.

The consultation sets out the next steps in the government’s overarching objective for the North Sea to make it a world leading example of an offshore clean energy industry, building on the UK’s world-class oil and gas heritage. In addition to maintaining existing oil and gas fields, and continuing ongoing domestic production, which have been critical to the UK’s energy system and will continue to play an important role for decades to come, the government wants to boost the economy through the expansion of clean technologies, protecting the country’s energy security in the process. To achieve this, the government needs to ensure the oil and gas industry and its workers can take advantage of a clean energy future.

Separately, HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs are confirming that the Energy Profits Levy will end in 2030. They are consulting on what a new regime could look like, to respond to any future shocks in oil and gas prices. The government will work closely with the sector and other stakeholders to develop an approach that protects jobs in existing and future industries and delivers a fair return for the nation, during times of unusually high prices. The government will ensure that the oil and gas industry has the long-term certainty it needs on the future fiscal landscape, helping to support investment and protect businesses and jobs now and for the future.

The government is committed to working with industry, communities, trade unions and wider organisations to develop a plan that will ensure a phased transition for the North Sea – creating tens of thousands more jobs in offshore renewables estimated by 2030.

The government recognises the call of workers and trade unions for a coordinated plan to protect good jobs, pay terms and conditions in the North Sea, and commits to shaping this plan with workers and unions.

The consultation also includes delivering the government’s commitment not to issue new licences to explore new oil and gas fields in the UK, in line with the science of what is required to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees. The consultation also engages with industry on how to manage existing fields, which will continue to make an important contribution during the clean energy transition, for the entirety of their lifespan.

This comes after the government has backed new investment into Scotland’s clean energy future, awarding £55.7 million to the Port of Cromarty Firth, securing critical facilities needed for the rapid development of new floating offshore wind farms and ensuring that they are built from the UK.

By sprinting to achieve this mission, the UK can take back control of its energy and protect both family and national finances from fossil fuel price spikes – with cleaner, affordable, homegrown power. As part of this, Britain must also reduce its dependency on oil and gas, which leaves consumers exposed to unstable global energy markets, as its price is set on international markets.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

The North Sea will be at the heart of Britain’s energy future. For decades, its workers, businesses and communities have helped power our country and our world.

Oil and gas production will continue to play an important role and, as the world embraces the drive to clean energy, the North Sea can power our Plan for Change and clean energy future in the decades ahead.

This consultation is about a dialogue with North Sea communities – businesses, trade unions, workers, environmental groups and communities – to develop a plan that enables us to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities of the years ahead.

Diversifying the North Sea industries while domestic production is managed for decades to come is key to protecting its jobs and investment in the long-term. Today’s consultation explores how to harness the North Sea’s existing infrastructure, natural assets and world-leading expertise to deploy new technologies – like hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, and renewables – to create skilled jobs, meet the UK’s climate obligations, and make the UK a clean energy superpower.

It is estimated that the offshore renewables workforce, including offshore wind, CCUS and hydrogen, could increase to between 70,000 and 138,000 in 2030, Meanwhile, an up-and-running carbon capture industry alone is expected to add around £5 billion per year of gross value to the UK economy by 2050.

New proposals could also see changes to the role of North Sea Transition Authority, as the regulator of UK oil and gas, offshore hydrogen, and carbon storage industries. This includes ensuring the authority has the regulatory framework it needs to support the government’s vision for the long-term future of the North Sea and enable an orderly and prosperous transition to clean energy.

The government has already taken rapid steps in accelerating clean energy industries – with the biggest ever investment in offshore wind and up to £21.7 billion in funding over the next 25 years for carbon capture and storage and hydrogen projects. This comes alongside the launch of Great British Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, and the creation of a National Wealth Fund, both of which will unlock significant investment in clean power projects across the UK and help create thousands of skilled jobs.

The government has also consulted on revised environmental guidance offshore oil and gas projects and will respond to give certainty to the industry and enable developers to resume applying for consents for already-licensed projects. This follows a Supreme Court ruling last year that requires regulators to consider the impact of burning oil and gas – known as scope 3 emissions – in the Environmental Impact Assessment for new projects.

Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, said:

We are committed to working together with the sector on the future of the North Sea by providing the stability they need to keep investing and supporting jobs across the country while ensuring they make a fair contribution at times of unusually high prices.

Tania Kumar, Net Zero Director, CBI said:

The North Sea has long been a cornerstone of the UK’s energy sector and will continue to play a vital role in securing energy independence and transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Today’s consultations highlight the government’s commitment to a managed transition. Success hinges on our collaboration with communities, workers, and businesses to develop a practical plan.

Robust regulation and the pivotal role of the North Sea Transition Authority will be essential. The UK’s net zero economy is growing faster than the rest of the economy – the future is green growth and managing the transition away from fossil fuels to a clean energy future for the North Sea is vital to achieving it.

Dhara Vyas, CEO, Energy UK said:

Today’s announcement offers a positive step toward a just transition for offshore workers. The North Sea has been an engine of economic growth and energy security for the UK, but it’s critical to ensure pathways are available for offshore workers to transition to the low carbon industries of the future. The government has a sent a strong signal about the UK’s clean energy future, and the role the North Sea will continue to play in fostering clean technologies such as offshore wind, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage. The clean energy mission can help ensure the North Sea’s best days are ahead of it, powering economic growth and enabling the UK to lead the way in the global clean industrial revolution.

David Whitehouse, Chief Executive, OEUK said:

The UK offshore energy industry, including its oil and gas sector, is responsible for thousands of jobs across Scotland and the UK, and today the government has committed to meaningful consultation on the long-term future of our North Sea. That is important and welcomed. Energy policy underpins our national security – how we build a clean energy future and leverage our proud heritage matters.

Today’s consultations, on both the critical role of the North Sea in the energy transition and how the taxation regime will respond to unusually high oil and gas prices, will help to begin to give certainty to investors and create a stable investment environment for years to come. We will continue to work with government and wider stakeholders to ensure a future North Sea which delivers economic growth and supports the communities that rely on this sector and workers across right and the UK.

Rachel Solomon Williams, Executive Director, Aldersgate Group said:

The private sector recognises the growth opportunity of the clean energy transition alongside the risks associated with investments that are incompatible with the 1.5C target. This consultation is an important step on the path to building a prosperous and resilient economy, with wider benefits across all regions of the UK. Investing in assets that risk becoming stranded is sustainable for neither the UK economy nor the environment – the government’s recognition of this position will contribute to resolving uncertainty and building private sector confidence for clean energy investments in the region.

The skills and expertise built over recent decades in the North Sea are invaluable. They are highly transferable for clean energy and other growth sectors, both directly and with further upskilling. We welcome the government’s announcement that it is ensuring that the North Sea transition makes best use of the strengths in the region, creating opportunities and jobs. Capturing this growth opportunity for the UK must ensure that the local communities and workers can play a role in future energy sectors. The right policy framework and engagement with industry and local communities can enable a transition to net zero emissions without deindustrialisation.

Dan McGrail, Chief Executive, RenewableUK said:

The biggest offshore wind farms in the world are being built in the North Sea and even more ambitious projects are being planned. Offshore wind is at the very heart of the government’s mission to reach clean power by 2030 and net zero by 2050, and the industry also offers the UK one of its biggest opportunities for job creation, industrial regeneration and economic growth.

The North Sea is already playing a crucial role in powering the UK and this is set to grow in the years ahead. A future focused on offshore wind isn’t just cleaner – it provides a more stable energy system for billpayers as we will be less exposed to volatile international fossil fuel prices. Offshore wind also offers opportunities for skilled workers from other industries to transfer into this dynamic and innovative sector.

Sue Ferns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, Prospect said:

As the UK moves away from oil and gas production as part of the commitment to meet Net Zero, it is critical that the creation of new good, unionised jobs in clean energy is at the heart of the government’s agenda.

This consultation is right to recognise this role of jobs, skills and communities in achieving a meaningful just transition, and we welcome the government’s commitment to work with trade unions and industry to make this a reality.

Delivering meaningful numbers of new jobs will also require bringing supply chains for the renewables sector on shore, something that will need the government’s industrial strategy to run in lock step with this plan.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 25 February 2025.

The government is bringing forward strengthened support for millions of households to help pay their energy bills next winter.

Almost 3 million more households, including almost 1 million households with children, would get support to pay their energy bills next winter, as the government consults on proposals to offer more support to consumers across the country.

Due to global gas price spikes this winter and the continued impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the energy regulator Ofgem has announced today (Tuesday 25 February) an increase in the energy price cap for April to June 2025. This price is set independently of the government, reflecting changes in wholesale prices and global markets.

In response, the government is acting to protect billpayers by consulting on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving eligible households £150 off their energy bills. This would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to an estimated 6.1 million.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

This is worrying news for many families.

This government is determined to do everything we can to protect people from the grip of fossil fuel markets. Expanding the Warm Home Discount can help protect millions of families from rising energy bills, offering support to consumers across the country.

Alongside this, the way to deliver energy security and bring down bills for good is to deliver our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower- with homegrown clean power that we in Britain control.

The government will also work closely with Ofgem to accelerate proposals on a potential debt relief scheme, first consulted on last year, to target unsustainable debt built up during the energy crisis.

The proposed debt support scheme, alongside the Warm Home Discount, is an important first step to cut the costs of servicing bad debt, which is currently contributing to higher bills for all billpayers. Under these plans, the target would be to reduce the debt allowance to pre-crisis levels, with Ofgem estimating that these plans could lower these costs by £25 to £30 per year.

This additional support for households complements the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, delivering energy security and bringing down bills for good. The expected rise in the price cap shows once again the cost of remaining reliant on the unstable global fossil fuel markets that are driving price increases. Three years on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, wholesale gas prices have now risen by 15% compared to the previous price cap period, which is directly affecting the cost of generating power and heating of homes. Moving to a power system based on homegrown, clean energy will reduce the UK’s reliance on volatile markets and protect billpayers.

To achieve this, government has set out the most ambitious reforms of the UK’s energy system in a generation. Within its first 8 months in office, the government has lifted the onshore wind ban, established Great British Energy, approved nearly 3 GW of solar, delivered a record-breaking renewables auction and kickstarted the carbon capture and hydrogen industries in the UK. Reforms to nuclear planning rules have also been introduced to clear a path for smaller, and easier to build nuclear reactors – helping to deliver energy security, grow the economy and deliver clean, cheap energy.

Ofgem CEO Jonathan Brearley said:

Energy debts that began during the energy crisis have reached record levels and without intervention will continue to grow. This puts families under huge stress and increases costs for all customers.

We’re developing plans that could give households with unmanageable debt the clean slate they need to move forward. We welcome the government’s support for these plans, and their plans to expand the Warm Home Discount, which will also offer financial help to nearly 3 million more households that need it most.

While the government presses on with the clean power mission, swift action has already been taken to shield energy consumers from high prices. These measures include:

• extended the Household Support Fund to provide help through local councils to struggling households with essential costs, including energy bills
• worked with energy suppliers to negotiate a £500 million winter support package for consumers
• rolled out the next steps of the Warm Homes Plan, which will upgrade 300,000 homes this financial year
• consulting on boosting living standards in the private rented sector by requiring all private landlords in England and Wales to meet Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C or equivalent in their properties by 2030, which will help a million renters out of fuel poverty
• announced a comprehensive review of the energy regulator Ofgem, empowering it to facilitate growth and innovation and become a stronger champion for consumers
• driving forward with pro-consumer reforms:
  • challenging unlawful back billing; taking action on inaccurate bills
  • driving the smart meter rollout
  • giving every family the option of a zero standing charge tariff, so they have more choice in how they pay for their energy
  • ensuring compensation for wrongful installation of prepayment meters

In addition, government has also moved quickly to protect working people from wider cost of living pressures, including:

• helping to keep prices down at the pumps by freezing fuel duty for an additional 12 months, saving motorists £3 billion in 2025 to 2026
• targeting support with the largest increase to the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit since it was introduced in 1976 – worth £41 a week
• capping the amount that can be deducted cut from Universal Credit payments when repaying short-term loans and debts, saving 1.2 million of the poorest families in the UK £420 a year on average
• through the government’s commitment to the Triple Lock, millions will see their State Pension rise by up to £1,900 over this parliament

Taken together, these reforms will help to improve the lives of working people and put more money in their pockets, secure home-grown energy and kickstart economic growth, as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. Through this ambitious programme, the government will deliver a decade of national renewal and fix the foundations of the country.