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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government’s new law sees unfair bonuses banned for six water companies with immediate effect [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government’s new law sees unfair bonuses banned for six water companies with immediate effect [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 6 June 2025.

    Government bans unfair bonuses for water companies that don’t meet high standards.

    • Unfair bonuses now banned for water companies that don’t meet high standards.
    • Water bosses awarded themselves over £112 million in bonuses and incentive payments in the last decade.
    • Strengthened enforcement is just one part of the Government’s strategy to reform the water sector and attract investment as part of its Plan for Change.

    Unfair bonuses have been banned for senior executives at six water companies, as new measures in the Water (Special Measures) Act come into force today (Friday, 6th June).

    The government is clear that transformative change across the water sector is needed to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas, and modernise the sector for decades to come.

    Under new rules, companies are not permitted to pay bonuses to water bosses that oversee poor environmental and customer outcomes. This delivers on a key manifesto commitment and has been backdated to apply to any bonuses relating to the financial year from April last year.

    This applies to Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, Anglian Water, Wessex Water, United Utilities, and Southern Water, where bosses are not permitted to receive bonuses with immediate effect.

    Water companies have awarded over £112 million in bonuses and incentives over the last decade. Last year alone, £7.6 million in bonuses were paid to water bosses in England.

    It’s crucial that companies attract the best talent to deliver essential upgrades to the water system. Companies that do meet Ofwat’s standards will still be eligible to pay executives bonuses – a powerful incentive for them to deliver immediate environmental improvements, better customer outcomes, and improve financial resilience.

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

    Water company bosses, like anyone else, should only get bonuses if they’ve performed well, certainly not if they’ve failed to tackle water pollution.

    Undeserved bonuses will now be banned as part of the Government’s plan to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

    Promise made, promise delivered.

    Today’s ban holds water bosses to account and ensures they can no longer cash in while their companies pollute rivers, neglect customers, or mismanage finances.

    Strengthened enforcement is just one part of the government’s strategy to reform the water sector, which also includes working with the companies and their investors to make the water industry one of growth and opportunity, attracting investment and ensuring its stable financial footing for years to come.

    The government is determined to reform the sector in a way that continues to attract high quality, long-term investors to rebuild our water infrastructure. Following the publication of the Independent Water Commission’s interim report, Ministers will look at proposals carefully, and outline further action in due course.

    While it is for water companies to set their own remuneration, new standards published by Ofwat that come into force today mean bonuses will not be permitted be handed out in specific cases when a water company:

    • Fails to meet core environmental standards and presides over serious pollution offences
    • Fails to meet basic financial resilience standards (e.g. meet minimum credit rating requirements)
    • Fails to meet core consumer standards (e.g. failure to operate and maintain sewage networks)
    • Is convicted of a criminal offence (e.g. criminal convictions for serious environmental failings including illegal spills)

    Under new rules published by Ofwat today, any company failing to meet key standards will automatically lose the right to award bonuses. If a company pays a bonus while banned, Ofwat has the powers under the Water (Special Measures) Act to direct the company to claw back the money. Any company that does not comply with Ofwat’s directions will face enforcement action.

    To further protect customers and clean up our waterways, the government has secured a record £104 billion of private investment – the largest ever since privatisation to cut sewage discharges by nearly half over the next five years. This money will now be ringfenced for new pipes and treatment works, not shareholder payouts.

  • PRESS RELEASE : More than £32 million to resurface roads and build new cycle lanes in the north east and Yorkshire as region hosts UK’s largest women’s cycling race [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : More than £32 million to resurface roads and build new cycle lanes in the north east and Yorkshire as region hosts UK’s largest women’s cycling race [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 6 June 2025.

    Investing in safer roads will encourage more women to cycle, build healthier, stronger communities and help ease pressure on the NHS.

    • an extra £20 million boost will improve roads across the north east and Yorkshire – part of an additional £500 million to tackle potholes nationwide
    • future of Roads Minister visits the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women – the UK’s biggest women’s cycling race – to promote safer roads for female cyclists
    • this is on top of nearly £12.8 million to build new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east – making active travel easier and easing pressure off the NHS, all part of the government’s Plan for Change

    Cyclists in the North East and Yorkshire will get around safely and easily as the government invests an extra £32 million to tackle potholes and build new cycle lanes in the region.

    Today (6 June 2025), the Minister for the Future of Roads will be in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, to speak to local schools, cycling clubs and female cycling champions during Stage 2 of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women – the UK’s biggest women’s road cycling race.

    The minister will show how the government is taking action to resurface roads and emphasise the need to make them safer and more accessible for all road users, including female cyclists. Her visit follows the £15.6 billion boost announced earlier this week to empower local leaders to invest in local transport projects that will make a real difference across England’s city regions – including South Yorkshire, the north east and Tees Valley.

    Pothole-ridden roads put everyone off cycling, with this impact felt the most by women. According to research from Cycling UK, more than half of women (58%) said their cycle journeys were limited by safety concerns and a lack of suitable infrastructure, with 36% of women pointing to poor roads as a main factor.

    The government is investing an extra £20 million to resurface roads across the north east and Yorkshire so that cyclists and all road users can get around more safely, more easily and with confidence.

    On top of this uplift, local cyclists are also benefiting from an almost £13 million boost to build new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east.

    Better roads and new cycle lanes will make it easier and safer for people to cycle. This will lead to 43,000 fewer sick days a year across the country and add £1.4 billion to the UK economy, putting money in the pockets of hardworking families to help deliver the government’s Plan for Change.

    Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:

    Safer roads mean safer spaces to cycle. The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is a fantastic way to show women and girls the power of cycling and the difference it can make to their lives.

    By investing in better roads, we’re delivering our Plan for Change – encouraging more women and girls to hop on a bike, easing pressure on the NHS and building healthier, stronger communities.

    Across the country, the government is investing a total of £1.6 billion to resurface roads – enough to fill 7 million extra potholes – which includes an extra £500 million boost to go above and beyond the government’s manifesto commitment.

    Lizzie Deignan MBE, Olympic silver medallist and world champion, said:

    I am incredibly passionate about getting more women and girls on bikes, whatever their background or ability. The benefits of cycling are vast, from improving your health, meeting new people and developing new skills and confidence.

    Having better cycling infrastructure across the UK will definitely break down barriers, which currently prevent women and girls from participating in cycling.

    Programmes like British Cycling’s Breeze and Go-Ride clubs are reaching out to local communities and creating opportunities to make it easier for women and girls to access cycling, so we can enable safe and fun environments to make sure that everyone can enjoy the freedom of riding a bike.

    With more investment in our roads and cycle lanes, programmes like this can go further as we bring the joy of cycling to more people across the country.

    The £13 million for new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east comes from a £291 million package to build new active travel infrastructure across the whole country and encourage more people to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle.

    The improvements will help people across the country make 30 million more journeys by bike or foot every year, including more than 20 million new walk-to-school journeys by children and their parents.

    Caroline Julian, Director of Brand and Engagement at British Cycling, said:

    Significant barriers still exist that prevent many people from accessing the health, economic and social benefits that cycling brings. We know from our research that road safety is the biggest reason that holds people back from getting on a bike. This is, unfortunately, particularly the case for women.

    We are encouraged to see the significant government investment in road and cycle lane infrastructure in the north-east and Yorkshire regions. Investing in infrastructure and places to ride, alongside strengthened promotion and enforcement of the Highway Code, is of critical importance to make cycling accessible to all.

    RAC Senior Policy Officer, Rod Dennis, said:

    Whether on two wheels or four, the quality of the nation’s roads must be improved to make journeys smoother and safer. It’s crucial now that councils use this cash as effectively as possible.

    While dangerous potholes must be filled quickly, councils need to do more surface dressing work to ensure decent roads stay in a better state for longer and resurface those that are beyond repair.

    IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards, Nicholas Lyes, said:

    Poorly maintained roads are not just a nuisance, they are a road safety hazard, particularly for those on two wheels. We welcome this additional funding that focuses not just on smoother surfaces but safer infrastructure, which will improve journey choice for people.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New ambulances and faster emergency care for patients next winter [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : New ambulances and faster emergency care for patients next winter [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 June 2025.

    Patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as the government sets out reforms to shorten waiting times in A&E.

    • Nearly £450 million investment to expand urgent and emergency care facilities to provide faster care for patients
    • 800,000 fewer patients each year to wait more than 4 hours at A&E, and more will receive urgent treatment in their community
    • Part of government’s Plan for Change to modernise NHS services and improve emergency care

    Patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as the government sets out reforms to shorten waiting times and tackle persistently failing trusts.

    The new package of investment and reforms will improve patients’ experiences this year, including by caring for more patients in the community, rather than in hospital which is often worse for patients and more expensive for taxpayers.

    Backed with a total of nearly £450 million, the urgent and emergency care plan 2025 to 2026 will deliver:

    • around 40 new same day emergency care and urgent treatment centres – which treat and discharge patients in the same day, avoiding unnecessary admissions to hospital
    • up to 15 mental health crisis assessment centres to provide care in the right place for patients and avoid them waiting in A&E for hours for care, which is not the most appropriate setting for people who are experiencing a crisis. These centres will offer people timely access to specialist support and ensure they are directed to the right care
    • almost 500 new ambulances will also be rolled out across the country by March 2026

    The plan’s emphasis will be on shifting more patient care into more appropriate care settings as part of the move from hospital to community under the government’s Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS, while tackling ambulance handover delays and corridor care.

    Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    No patient should ever be left waiting for hours in hospital corridors or for an ambulance which ought to arrive in minutes.

    We can’t fix more than a decade of underinvestment and neglect overnight. But through the measures we’re setting out today, we will deliver faster and more convenient care for patients in emergencies.

    Far too many patients are ending up in A&E who don’t need or want to be there, because there isn’t anywhere else available. Because patients can’t get a GP appointment, which costs the NHS £40, they end up in A&E, which costs around £400 – worse for patients and more expensive for the taxpayer.

    The package of investment and reforms we are announcing today will help the NHS treat more patients in the community, so they don’t end up stuck on trolleys in A&E. Hundreds of new ambulances will help cut the unacceptably long waiting times we’ve seen in recent years. And new centres for patients going through a mental health crisis will provide better care and keep them out of A&E departments, which are not well equipped to care for them.

    By shifting staff and resources out of hospitals and into communities, and modernising NHS technology and equipment, our Plan for Change will make sure the NHS can be there for you when you need it, once again.

    NHS Chief Executive, Sir Jim Mackey, said:

    Urgent and emergency care services provide a life-saving first line of defence for patients – but for too long now, despite the incredible hard work of staff, the speed and quality of NHS care has often not been good enough.

    Our patients and staff deserve better, so that is why we need a radical change in approach and to ensure we get the basics right.

    This major plan sets out how we will work together to resuscitate NHS urgent and emergency care, with a focus on getting patients out of corridors, keeping more ambulances on the road, and enable those ready to leave hospital to do so as soon as possible.

    NHS National Director for Urgent and Emergency Care, Sarah-Jane Marsh, said:

    It is vital that patients can access our urgent and emergency care services in the right place at the right time, and that the care provided is to a standard we would want for ourselves and our own families.

    While the 10 Year Health Plan will set out a longer-term vision to transform urgent and emergency services for the 21st century, there is so much more we could all be doing now.

    This plan sets out not only what we know is working across the country, but how systems must work together to improve access and quality for the benefit of our patients.

    In order to support this shift in delivery focus, NHS England will be asking providers and systems to be accountable to their own local boards and populations, creating robust winter plans which will be tested during winter exercises throughout September.

    Every day, more than 140,000 people access urgent and emergency care services across England. Since 2010 to 2011, demand has almost doubled, with ambulance service usage rising by 61%.

    A&E waiting time standards have not been met for over a decade, while the 18-minute target for category 2 ambulance calls has never been hit outside the pandemic.

    But at least 1 in 5 people who attend A&E do not need urgent or emergency care, while an even larger number could be better cared for in the community.

    The plan focuses on making winter 2025 to 2026 significantly better than recent winters by setting ambitious but achievable targets and increasing transparency about progress.

    It marks a fundamental shift in our approach to urgent and emergency care – moving from fragmented efforts to genuine collaboration across the whole system, and mean better co-ordination between NHS trusts and primary care to identify patients most vulnerable during winter.

    And it aims to make the most difference to patients by focusing on specific improvements across the healthcare system, aligning resources to areas that need them most.

    The plan will also see more patients receive care in the community, rather than being unnecessarily admitted into hospital, through measures including:

    • more paramedic-led care in the community – which means patients will receive more effective treatment at the scene of an accident or in their own homes from ambulance crews
    • increasing numbers of patients seen by urgent community response teams – which provide urgent care to people in their homes, helping to avoid hospital admissions and enable people to live independently for longer. Local areas will be told to lay out how they will expand access to these teams, which includes understanding level of needs
    • better use of virtual wards – which use modern technology to provide patients with hospital-level care at home safely and in familiar surroundings, speeding up their recovery while freeing up hospital beds for patients that need them most
    • publishing league tables on performance to drive improved transparency and public accountability and as well as encouraging less effective systems to work more closely with high performing systems to accelerate improvement

    Thanks to the investment and reforms announced today (6 June 2025), 800,000 fewer people should be forced to wait more than 4 hours for care in emergency departments this year.

    Chief Executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles, said:

    There is a lot to like about this plan. It’s helpful that we’re seeing it in early summer, with time to ensure meaningful measures are in place ahead of the added pressures of winter.

    It’s also good to see that so many parts of the system, including primary, community and mental health care, in addition to ambulance and hospital services, have been factored in.

    The extra capital investment for same day emergency care and mental health crisis assessment centres and ambulance services is particularly welcome, as is the emphasis on vaccination – and on this we’d urge NHS staff and the public to play their part by getting that protection.

    This plan should result in meaningful progress compared to last winter. As the plan acknowledges the public and our staff want to know the NHS can respond quickly, safely and effectively in an emergency. NHS Providers would like to work with NHS England and the government to develop long-term urgent and emergency care plans that are bold and ambitious.

    Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) Managing Director, Anna Parry, said:

    The new urgent and emergency care plan reaffirms AACE’s vision for the future of NHS ambulance services. By extending and formalising a wider ambulance sector remit in urgent and emergency care, we will be better placed to help resolve some of the key system pressures, reduce the risks for patients and transform patient care while offering a more positive working environment for our people.

    By underscoring the importance of a system-wide focus to achieve improvements in urgent and emergency care, this new plan acts as a genuine challenge to all health and social care leaders, encouraging them to plan and act with purpose to achieve the transformation that is needed. Ambulance service leaders continue to proactively seek increased opportunities for greater collaboration with system partners while identifying new strategies and initiatives within their own ambulance trusts to achieve the transformation targets outlined in the plan.

    We are particularly heartened to see the plan’s emphasis on the reduction and improved management of hospital handover delays. Handover delays have the greatest detrimental impact on ambulance resources and create unnecessary delays and additional harm for thousands of patients each year. The elimination of corridor care and the focus on reducing 12-hour waits at emergency departments is also welcomed.

    Finally, we wholeheartedly endorse and support the plan’s underlined recognition of the impact of the delivery of sub-optimal care on NHS staff, alongside the pivotal role both leadership and a strong system-level approach must play in the transformation of urgent and emergency care.

    NHS Confederation Chief Executive, Matthew Taylor, said:

    Health leaders across systems, providers and primary care will welcome this plan to provide better, faster and more appropriate emergency care, an area which is facing high demand and rising public concern over performance.

    As the plan shows, there is a lot of good practice across the health service to build upon, including expanding the number of same day emergency treatment and mental health crisis assessment centres and rolling out more ambulances.

    Making sure the NHS does not continue to fall into crisis each winter will be essential for improving public confidence in the health service. Strong collaboration between health partners and with local government to improve discharges out of hospitals will also be key to progress.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rooftop solar for new builds to save people money [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rooftop solar for new builds to save people money [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 6 June 2025.

    New homeowners stand to benefit from rooftop solar and cheaper bills, with the Future Homes Standard being published this Autumn.

    • Families will have lower energy bills in new homes as part of the Plan for Change, as government confirms new build homes will have solar panels by default
    • Proposed changes in the Future Homes Standard, being published in Autumn, will ensure new homes will be modern and energy efficient, cutting bills and boosting the nation’s energy security with clean, homegrown power

    Working people stand to save hundreds of pounds off their energy bills as the government confirms new build homes will have solar panels by default, unleashing a rooftop revolution.

    Ministers are publishing the Future Homes Standard this autumn and have confirmed today (Friday 6 June) that solar panels will be included, leading to installation on the vast majority of new build homes.

    Illustrating the benefits of solar panels, a typical existing UK home could save around £530 a year from installing rooftop solar, based on the current energy price cap.

    This means today’s new proposals could significantly cut energy bills for the recipients of new build homes, tackling the cost of living for aspirational young families and new house buyers.

    Under proposed changes, new homes will also have low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps and high levels of energy efficiency, cutting people’s energy bills and boosting the nation’s energy security with clean, homegrown power, in line with the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

    To deliver these aims, the proposed Future Homes Standard would see building regulations amended to explicitly promote solar for the first time, subject to practical limits with flexibility in place for new homes surrounded by trees or with lots of shade overhead.

    From switching on the kettle to cooking dinner and doing the weekly wash, families will now be able to seize the benefits of powering their lives with clean, renewable energy from the very first day in their new home, with cheaper energy bills that put more money back in their pockets.

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    Solar panels can save people hundreds of pounds off their energy bills, so it is just common sense for new homes to have them fitted as standard.

    So many people just don’t understand why this doesn’t already happen. With our plans, it will.

    Today marks a monumental step in unleashing this rooftop revolution as part of our Plan for Change, and means new homeowners will get lower bills with clean home-grown power.

    Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said:

    As part of the government’s Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes, we are maximising the use of renewable energy to cut people’s bills and power their homes.

    The Future Homes Standard will ensure new homes are modern and efficient with low-carbon heating, while our common-sense planning changes will now make it easier and cheaper for people to use heat pumps and switch to EVs so they can play their part in bolstering our nation’s energy security.

    After legislation came into force last week, more homeowners will now be able to install a heat pump within one metre of their property’s boundary without having to submit a planning application, unlocking even more savings and cutting unnecessary paperwork for working people.

    With figures from Octopus showing that 34% of those who order a heat pump are discouraged or drop out for reasons attributed to the need to submit a planning application, this change will help families who may have less space outside their home make the upgrade to clean power.

    The first quarter of 2025 saw a record number of applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, up 73% from the same quarter in 2024.

    The scheme provides households with up to £7,500 off the cost of a heat pump, which can save families around £100 a year by using a smart tariff effectively.

    Chris Hewett, Chief Executive, Solar Energy UK, said:

    The solar industry is very glad to hear that almost all new homes will be fitted with solar power from under the Future Homes Standard. Making solar panels a functional requirement of the Building Regulations will cut energy bills, lower carbon emissions, help drive polluting natural gas off the grid and improve our nation’s energy security, too.

    Aadil Qureshi, Co-Founder and CEO, Heat Geek, said:

    Installing a heat pump, particularly alongside solar panels is an amazing way for homeowners to save hundreds of pounds on their energy bills and create a more comfortable home. The simplification of planning rules will help millions of homeowners, particularly in normal family homes in towns and cities, take advantage of this technology.

    Charles Wood, Deputy Director of Policy (Systems) at Energy UK, said:

    The addition of rooftop solar to the Future Homes Standard is welcome and necessary in ensuring that homes built today are fit for the future. Building homes to the right standards now will deliver immediate benefits of warmer, more comfortable, and more cost-efficient homes, preventing the need to retrofit these properties later at higher costs to the customer.

    This change, alongside wider reforms to planning processes and network connections, will reduce bills for people in new build properties while also giving the industry confidence to invest in increased manufacturing and installer training as demand increases, creating jobs and bringing down technology costs for everyone.

    Ensuring our future energy security relies on producing more British power, the electrification of our economy and cutting waste. The energy sector continues to deliver energy efficiency improvements and install low-carbon heating, generation, and transport technologies for households and businesses across the country.

    Chris O’Shea CEO of Centrica, said:

    The age of solar is well and truly upon us, with millions of households up and down the country already benefiting from generating their own free electricity from the sun. Our research shows that customers can shrink their energy bills by 90% when they combine solar and battery with the right energy tariff, and this announcement means even more households can soak up the savings—and the sunshine—by generating their own clean, free electricity. And with the Future Home Standard expected in the Autumn, momentum is building behind Great Britain’s rooftop revolution.

    Jack Brayshaw, Head of Technical Innovation at Vistry Group, said:

    Vistry is wholeheartedly committed to the use of low-carbon technology – developing sustainable homes and communities is at the core of what we do.

    Over the past year alone, we have installed solar panels on nearly 10,000 homes, and solar panels and electric car chargers are part of our standard specification.

    Vistry is proud to be leading the way on sustainable placemaking, but we know that this is more to be done. Working with our partners, we have also been increasing the number of air source heat pumps we install on-site and exploring other measures, such as heat recovery, to promote low-carbon technologies while reducing energy bills for our customers.

    Through our unique partnerships model, we are committed to working with the government to optimise the benefits of low-carbon technology, future-proofing homes across the country.

    Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive, Future Homes Hub, said:

    The Future Homes Standard represents a major opportunity to build a generation of higher performing new homes. Moving to all electric homes, with photovoltaics, a better fabric system, better ventilation and smart technologies to optimise the way new homes use energy means that new homes will not only be better for the planet but also more comfortable, healthier to live in and cheaper to run for customers.

    The Future Homes Hub is ready to support this mission, bringing homebuilders, social housing providers, suppliers, financial institutions and other experts together to work with government departments to find the best solutions to secure the benefits of the Future Homes Standard whilst accelerating housing delivery, crucially helping smaller developers to get the right support at the right time.

    Nigel Banks, Zero Bills Director at Octopus Energy, said:

    People deserve lower energy bills, and adding solar panels to a house as it’s built is an incredibly effective way to slash costs from day one.

    With the right smart tech and storage added to the mix, some households won’t have to pay a penny for energy.

    We’re delighted to see the Future Homes Standard enable house builders to now build the homes of the future.

    Matthew Hart, Director of Residential New Build at E.ON Next, said:

    Ensuring that every new home comes equipped with solar panels is a vital step forward for the UK. Our vision at E.ON has always been to make clean, affordable energy the standard, not the exception, and this move will empower homeowners to take control of their energy use and keep bills low from day one. It’s exactly the kind of bold, practical action we need to build a more secure, low-carbon future for everyone.

    Mark Wakeford, National Chairman, National Federation of Builders, said:

    Solar panels on new homes make sense because they lower bills and progress the clean energy revolution we so desperately need. Credit must also be given for recent announcements on grid investment and connection reforms, as these were important challenges to recognise and solve for a rooftop revolution to happen in practice.

    Charlotte Lee, CEO, Heat Pump Association, said:

    The HPA welcomes clarity on the publication timeline for the Future Homes Standard and confirmation that all new homes will be required to have low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps. Coupled with solar PV, highly efficient heat pump installations will result in low consumer energy bills and increase the UK’s energy security. This announcement provides a clear signal to the heat pump sector to scale up delivery in terms of workforce and manufacturing to meet the anticipated growth in the market and demonstrates the government’s commitment to decarbonise buildings.

    Garry Felgate, Chief Executive of The MCS Foundation, said:

    These plans by the government are a huge boost to the UK renewables sector, to our efforts to meet net zero, and in reducing energy costs for households.

    This announcement clearly shows that clean energy in the UK is the future. Maximising renewable energy technologies can benefit households by reducing bills as well as enhancing our national energy security.

    Trevor Hutchings, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association (REA) said:

    The growth of solar power has been one of the UK’s biggest renewable energy success stories, demonstrating without a doubt that we don’t have to choose between lowering our emissions and lowering household energy bills.

    Today’s announcement – which the REA has long campaigned for – takes this one step further – not only enabling thousands of future homeowners to experience the benefits of affordable and clean power, but supercharging growth in the British renewable energy industry and driving forward our energy transition.

    Notes to editors

    Future Homes Standard

    The changes outlined today will maximise the use of solar energy through the Future Homes Standard.

    In 2023, the previous government proposed that new build homes would either need solar panel coverage equivalent to 40% of the building’s floor area or none at all.

    This approach would have allowed for too many exemptions and no solar being installed on these developments.

    The government is intending to bring forward rigorous proposals, that if developers cannot meet 40% coverage, they would still be required to install a reasonable amount of solar coverage.

    Under this proposal, it would be a functional requirement of the Building Regulations that new homes, with rare exceptions, are built with renewable electricity generation. In the vast majority of cases, we expect this would be solar panels.

    We are working with industry to set the technical detail ahead of publishing the final Future Homes Standard this Autumn.

    The Future Homes Standard will also see homes built with low carbon heating such as heat pumps and heat networks.

    Solar

    The £530 a year saving is based on government’s published Home Energy Assessment tool, which allows the user to produce an estimate of the bill savings they could expect from solar given the characteristics of their home.

    The figure is the potential savings for a home and is included to illustrate the benefits of solar panels. An estimate of the bill savings for a Future Homes Standard home will be included in the final impact assessment published in Autumn.

    The figures are based on a typical 3.5 kW south-facing installation using the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) methodology.

    The costs and savings individuals experience will be affected by factors such as how often they heat their home, the precise technical details of their installations, and future energy prices.

    The savings displayed are based on the April 2025 price cap. As energy prices change, so will the estimates of savings.

    Domestic heat pumps

    The changes to permitted development rights, which came into force on Thursday 29 May in England, cover:

    • removing the 1m boundary rule, enabling air source heat pumps to be installed within 1m of the property boundary
    • increasing the size limit of the heat pump for dwellinghouses from 0.6m3 to 1.5m3
    • doubling the number of heat pumps permitted per detached dwellinghouse, from 1 to 2
    • allowing for air source heat pumps that can be used for cooling as well as heating – facilitating the role out of air-to-air models – and providing consumers more choice

    Modern heat pumps are generally perceived as quiet and typically no louder than a fridge. When installed under a permitted development right, they must also comply with a noise assessment methodology which includes an upper noise limit assessed at the nearest neighbouring habitable room window or door, as part of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Planning Standard.

    There were a total of 11,256 applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme between January and March 2025, which was up 73% from the first quarter of 2024.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appliance servicing company which used high pressure sales tactics on elderly and vulnerable is shut down [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appliance servicing company which used high pressure sales tactics on elderly and vulnerable is shut down [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 6 June 2025.

    UK Service Plan Ltd pressured elderly people – some of whom had Alzheimer’s and dementia – into service agreements to protect household appliances.

    UK Service Plan Ltd sold monthly and annual plans which they said would provide service cover for household appliances.

    The company had a pattern of behaviour which involved targeting the elderly and vulnerable and creating direct debits without permission.

    The company was subject to a successful winding up order at the High Court in London on 19 May 2025, and its director was disqualified for eight years.

    A company which used high pressure sales tactics to sell service plans for household appliances has been shut down after an Insolvency Service investigation found it targeted the elderly and vulnerable.

    UK Service Plan Ltd, registered at Princess Street in Manchester and formerly Trafalgar Place, Brighton, offered protection plans for white goods to cover the cost of callouts, replacement parts and labour.

    The company charged around £29 a month for a service plan, and some people were persuaded to take on lengthy agreements of up to three and five years.

    Additionally, the company pressured people – some via cold calls – into buying plans by offering a discount which they falsely claimed was only applicable if they pay on the day.

    The Insolvency Service looked at 14 complaints which had been received from UK Service Plan Ltd customers, all of whom were over the age of 71.

    Seven of the complainants were described as being vulnerable, with variable memory recall and conditions including Alzheimer’s or dementia.

    Three were cold called despite being registered with the Telephone Preference Service.

    Six had direct debits set up apparently without their permission and three were told they were existing customers when they were not.

    Insolvency Service Chief Investigator Mark George said:

    UK Service Plan Ltd targeted and pressured some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

    They were persuaded into buying a service agreement, which it appears many did not want or need.

    Being able to shut this company down is a vital step toward protecting the public from becoming victims of their bad business practices.

    The company was not represented at the hearing and did not defend the petition, with the company’s director – 41-year-old Mohamed Anoir Dhimi, of Manchester – giving an undertaking to the court not to be involved in the promotion, formation or management of any company whose business is in the same or a similar field for a period of eight years.

    Dhimi did not fully co-operate with the investigation and provided limited information to the Insolvency Service.

    As evidence of poor trading practice, between August 2021 and July 2022, it was found the company had paid more than £200,000 in refunds to 740 people.

    In 2022, the company claimed to have a turnover of more than two million pounds.

    But the recorded cash in the filed accounts did not match the balance in the known bank account at the relevant date.

    In addition, the company failed to maintain accurate records and accounts the company filed at Companies House contained potentially false information.

    UK Service Plan Ltd, incorporated in 2021, was last registered at an address on Princess Street in Manchester. It claimed to have 10 employees, but no actual trading address has been found.

    The company had previously been registered in London and Brighton.

    The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator of UK Service Plan Ltd.

    The Insolvency Service worked in collaboration with Trading Standards on the investigation.

    • Mohamed Anoir Dhimi: Date of Birth, October 1983. Address: Princess Street, Manchester.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan [June 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 June 2025.

    The Prime Minister hosted His Majesty the King of Jordan Abdullah II at Downing Street this afternoon.

    The leaders discussed the gravity of the intolerable situation in Gaza, and the concerning developments in the West Bank.

    The Prime Minister reiterated that if Israel did not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, the UK and its partners would take further concrete actions in response.

    It was vital a sustainable ceasefire and the release of all hostages was secured, and humanitarian aid was delivered at speed and volume, the Prime Minister added.

    Both leaders agreed on the importance of the Palestinian Authority’s reform agenda as part of the path to a two-state solution and lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

    The leaders also discussed the wider bilateral relationship between the UK and Jordan, and the opportunity to deepen business and investment links between the two countries.

    Both looked forward to speaking again soon.

  • PRESS RELEASE : We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure Assad’s chemical weapons programme is destroyed – UK statement at the UN Security Council [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure Assad’s chemical weapons programme is destroyed – UK statement at the UN Security Council [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 June 2025.

    Statement by Caroline Quinn, UK Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

    Let me start by welcoming the strong commitment of the Syrian government to turn the page of history. We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure once and for all that the Assad era chemical weapons programme is destroyed.

    The UK is greatly encouraged by Syria’s operational and logistical support to the deployments carried out by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, including access to sites and people, and by Syria’s commitment to engage with the international community.

    We also welcome the OPCW Technical Secretariat’s deployments to Syria in March and April. The persistence and professionalism shown by OPCW staff in Syria has been exceptional. As has the consistently high quality of the Technical Secretariat’s work on this important file in a very challenging technical environment.

    Important progress has been made towards setting up OPCW offices in Syria and the collection and analysis of samples.

    These are vital steps towards Syria’s full implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council resolution 2118, which the Assad regime so flagrantly violated.

    There is, however, President, much more work to do in a difficult operational environment.

    Due to the secrecy and complexity of Assad’s illegal chemical weapons programme, the precise extent of the challenge ahead is still unknown.

    Allow me to make three brief points.

    Firstly, both the Syrian government and the OPCW will need to be operationally agile to address any proliferation or health risks found in inspecting sites of concern.

    The OPCW’s role is vital. As mandated by the Chemical Weapons Convention and by resolution 2118, the OPCW must verify the Syrian-led declaration and destruction of any remaining elements of Assad’s chemical weapons programme.

    Secondly, to achieve this, the OPCW will need technical, financial and logistical assistance from the international community.

    The OPCW has provided States Parties with its estimated costs for its work in Syria.

    The UK has already provided more than $1 million to the OPCW Syria Missions to support their immediate work and will look to provide further assistance.

    We join High Representative Nakamitsu in encouraging others to also provide the necessary resources. In particular, President, we welcome Qatar’s role in representing Syria at the OPCW in The Hague.

    Finally, military action by neighbouring states risks delaying OPCW deployments as well as the preservation of evidence at chemical weapons sites. We therefore urge Israel to de-escalate their actions in Syria.

    President, we have a historic opportunity to rid Syria of Assad’s chemical weapons.

    Let us do our part to support Syria and the OPCW, to enable the new Syrian government to finally close the file on the scourge of chemical weapons use, and on this dark chapter in Syria’s history.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government announces preferred candidate for Chair of Equality and Human Rights Commission [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government announces preferred candidate for Chair of Equality and Human Rights Commission [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Office for Equality and Opportunity on 5 June 2025.

    • Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson announced as the government’s preferred candidate for the next Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
    • Preferred candidate to appear in front of 2 Parliamentary committees – Women and Equalities Select Committee (WESC) and the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JHCR) – ahead of appointment confirmation.
    • Current chair Baroness Falkner’s term is due to end on 30 November 2025.

    The government’s preferred candidate for the new chair of the independent Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been identified as Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson. This follows a full and open competition to recruit a new chair, in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

    The current chair Baroness Kishwer Falkner’s term is due to end on 30 November 2025, after being extended an additional year to provide stability while a full recruitment campaign was undertaken.

    Dr Stephenson will appear before WESC and JCHR as part of pre-appointment hearings. The committees will provide advice to ministers before she is formally appointed.

    The appointment of Dr Stephenson will not impact the timelines or process for the updated statutory code of practice for services currently being developed by the EHRC.

    Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson said:

    This government is clear that equality and opportunity are at the heart of our programme of national renewal.

    With the depth of her expertise in human rights and equality, Dr Stephenson is exceptionally suited to leading the EHRC and ensuring it continues to uphold the equalities framework in this country.

    I want to thank Baroness Falkner for her continued work throughout this time.

    Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson said:

    I am honoured to be named the Government’s preferred candidate to be the new chair for the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

    The EHRC plays an integral role in protecting and advancing equalities and I am deeply committed to furthering this work as chair. With over 30 years working on equalities and human rights, I am confident that I will bring a breadth of experience and insight to the role.

    I look forward to working with the team in the EHRC as well as stakeholders and the government to ensure equalities are upheld and all people are treated with respect and dignity.

    The government is committed to ensuring that people of all backgrounds can thrive. The EHRC plays a vital role in upholding and promoting equality and human rights across England and Wales.

    The EHRC is independent of the government and makes its own enforcement decisions, including about any inquiries and investigations it decides to conduct.

    The EHRC has launched a consultation on its updated draft statutory code of practice for services, public functions and associations. This opened on 20 May and will close on 30 June. The final draft code will be sent to ministers for approval before laying in Parliament.

    Notes to editors

    Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson has 30 years of experience working on equality and human rights issues within the UK and internationally, over 20 of these at Board and CEO level. She also holds a PhD in equality law.

    Positions she has held include:

    • Director of the Women’s Budget Group
    • Director of the Fawcett Society
    • Chair of Early Education and Childcare Coalition
    • Board member of Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC)
    • Board member of Coventry Police and Crime Board
  • PRESS RELEASE : Farmers to get fairer deals for combinable crops [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Farmers to get fairer deals for combinable crops [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 June 2025.

    New review aims to support fairer, more profitable deals for farmers.

    Arable farmers will benefit from a new government review tackling unfair practices in the combinable crops supply chain, helping to protect their business and income from unfair practices.

    Announced today as part of our New Deal for Farmers, the review is a major step towards ensuring producers have clear, fair, and enforceable contracts – covering pricing, supply volumes, data, and dispute resolution. It will back British farmers to get a fairer return for the food they produce.

    Combinable crops, such as cereals (like wheat and barley), oilseeds, and pulses, are harvested using a combine harvester. They provide essential ingredients for food, animal feed and fuel, making this sector a cornerstone of our food supply chain.

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

    British growers work incredibly hard to produce world-class food, and deserve fair, transparent contracts that reflect that.

    This review is a major step forward in giving arable farmers a stronger voice, better protection and fairer returns for the food they produce.

    We’re proud of the vital work farmers undertake every day to feed our nation, which is why we’re investing £5 billion – the largest ever budget for sustainable farming.

    The government has already taken decisive action to secure a fairer deal for farmers. This includes slashing costs and red tape for businesses who export to and import from the EU, making supply chains more resilient and helping reduce costs for consumers, and backing British food with investment and action – aiming for at least 50% of food supplied in public sector contracts to come from local producers or those certified to higher environmental standards.

    We’ve also appointed former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters to lead reforms that put more money back in farmers’ pockets, as part of our Plan for Change

    This action builds on reforms already made in other farming sectors, including the Fair Dealing (Milk) Regulations, which came into effect on 9 July 2024, and the Fair Dealing (Pigs) Regulations have also recently received parliamentary approval.

    Collaborating with devolved governments, we will continue to develop a fairer, more transparent supply chain that benefits both farmers and the public.

    A formal public consultation will be launched, giving farmers and other stakeholders the chance to share their experiences.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Revamped Office for Investment cements UK’s position as top investment destination creating jobs and opportunities [June 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Revamped Office for Investment cements UK’s position as top investment destination creating jobs and opportunities [June 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 5 June 2025.

    The government has announced the launch of the revamped Office for Investment.

    • Bolstered OfI redoubles UK efforts to secure investment to drive economic growth as part of Government’s Plan for Change.
    • Since taking Office, Government has welcomed around £100bn in investment into the UK, with employment rising by almost 500,000 jobs.
    • New office ensures investment pitch aligns with UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, targeting investors in high-growth and foundational sectors.
    • Minister for Investment launches new Office with pitch to staff after PwC Survey rates UK as the 2nd best place in the world to invest.

    The UK’s highest growth sectors are gearing up for an inward investment boost as a new, revamped Office for Investment will provide enhanced high-end investor relations, commercial support and tailored opportunities for those looking to invest in the UK.

    Today [5 June], Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson CBE will launch the new Office for Investment which will be laser-focused on securing investment to drive economic growth, job creation and productivity across the UK, as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    The enhanced Office for Investment will be aligned with the Government’s upcoming modern Industrial Strategy, prioritising growth-driving sectors ranging from defence to clean energies, as well as foundational sectors such as steel, critical minerals and logistics.

    It will also actively pursue and manage major investment projects that support national growth missions and infrastructure strategies, helping to make the UK the best investment destination in the world.

    Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson CBE said:

    Securing investment is an integral part of this government’s Plan for Change, so I’m thrilled the Office for Investment will help drive even more investment into the UK, supporting job creation and boosting wages.

    Aligning with our upcoming modern Industrial Strategy, the OfI will deliver long-term growth right across the UK by providing support and stability for investors, giving them the confidence to plan not just for the next year, but for the next 10 years and beyond.

    By aligning investment resources under a single brand, the new Office for Investment will reduce confusion for investors and become increasingly proactive both at home and overseas in search of new potential investors for the UK.

    This announcement follows last year’s record-breaking International Investment Summit where the UK attracted £63 billion of new investments creating 38,000 jobs across the country.

    This builds on the latest PwC Global CEO Survey which rated the UK as the 2nd best place in the world to invest, after the USA.

    CEO of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Karim Fatehi OBE said:

    Setting a new course for the Investment Office has the potential to drive greater investment in London and the rest of the UK – creating jobs, building businesses and supporting economic growth. To remain relevant in a competitive market we must create the best conditions for international investors to succeed and prosper in the UK.

    The UK is already the most open, stable and connected economy in the world. Securing trade deals with the United States, India and a new agreement with the European Union demonstrates the UK’s commitment to free and fair trade, and how this Government will support real change for the British people as part of the Plan for Change.

    The UK continues to attract major investments across a range of sectors, including digital and technology, reinforcing its position as a global innovation hub.

    These investments include:

    • £24 billion investment pipeline between The Crown Estate and Lendlease, unlocking housing and science innovation hubs, with 26,000 new homes and 100,000 new jobs.
    • £1 billion investment by logistics giant DP World to build two new shipping berths at the firm’s London Gateway port, creating more than 400 permanent jobs.
    • Universal’s multi-billion-pound investment in a major new theme park and resort in Bedford which is estimated to bring a £50 billion boost for the economy and create around 28,000 jobs across the creative, hospitality and construction industries.
    • £10 billion partnership with OCBC, Singapore’s second largest bank to facilitate investment from the Asia Pacific region into priority growth sectors including energy, infrastructure and real estate.
    • £4 billion investment by the Malaysian group YTL in the UK over the next five years, which includes transforming the greater Bristol area and delivering over 30,000 jobs across the UK.
    • £200 million investment from European defence company MBDA, creating 700 high-skilled jobs in Britain’s defence industry.
    • £50m investment deal between JATCO, Nissan and the Government to build a new manufacturing site in Sunderland.
    • £170 million investment by international manufacturer Knauf Insulation in a new facility in Shotton, North Wales, creating 140 new jobs.
    • £300 million investment from Rolls-Royce in the expansion of their Goodwood facility to meet the growing demand for bespoke upgrades.
    • £500 million by JLR in its Halewood facility to enable the production of electric vehicles, alongside existing combustion and hybrid models.
    • US company Knighthead’s £3 billion regeneration project in East Birmingham, creating 8,400 new jobs annually, paving the way for a new 60,000-seater stadium alongside a sports campus of training facilities, a new academy, and community pitches.
    • Heathrow Airport announcing a multibillion-pound investment programme to expand the airport, including new terminal buildings, aircraft stands, passenger infrastructure and work towards its third runway.
    • $5 billion investment from Oracle to expand its cutting-edge cloud infrastructure in the UK – an initiative helping to position the UK at the forefront of the AI revolution.
    • Vishay investing £250 million to establish the world’s first compound semiconductor facility.

    Notes to editors:

    • The Prime Minister also announced plans for an enhanced Office for Investment just before the International Investment Summit, building on the recommendations of the Harrington Review.