Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

I am meeting the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees in early February to discuss potential changes to the scheme, including standstill.

Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector, including proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. We have engaged with landlord and tenant groups in developing this policy and set out several proposals to help landlords reach the new standard. Our proposed changes should not require landlords to increase rents. Instead, they will help tenants cut their energy bills by delivering more energy efficient homes.

The consultation has now closed and we are analysing responses and reviewing evidence on the potential impact of these proposals. A government response will be published in due course.

The government is committed to growing resilient clean energy supply chains and creating good jobs across the UK. Our Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan gives investors the certainty they need to expand UK manufacturing across technologies from wind and nuclear to hydrogen, carbon capture, heat pumps and grid infrastructure. We have capitalised the National Wealth Fund with £27.8 billion, including £5.8 billion for key low‑carbon industries, and Great British Energy has launched a £1 billion supply chain programme, including a £300 million offshore wind fund now open for applications.

We will continue to engage with industry, trade unions, and experts to implement the Sector Plan, including the IPPR.

The government is committed to ensuring that the UK’s AI infrastructure is developed in a way that is both sustainable and aligned with our net zero ambitions. The Low-Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference, covering Drax's generation from 2027-31, requires Drax to request permission should they wish to supply power to a data centre from their biomass units during this period. Should such a request arise, DESNZ, working with the Low Carbon Contracts Company, would assess this on its merits, taking account of security of supply, value for money, and sustainability matters. Without such permission any data centre on the site could not draw power directly from the biomass units during this period. Regardless of the supply arrangements, Drax is contractually obliged to meet enhanced sustainability criteria for their power generation, which include requiring 100% of the biomass used to be obtained from sustainable sources.

Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals. Costs in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlements. We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.

Operators follow general security guidance from a range of sources, including the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), and Offshore Energies UK (OEUK).

Operators are required to follow risk assessments and contingency planning embedded within approved safety cases under the Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 2005.

The Government closely monitors the security of energy infrastructure and regularly assesses potential threats, working with the Ministry of Defence, which keeps Russian military capabilities under continuous review as part of routine defence intelligence and strategic assessments.

Moyle is a point-to-point interconnector that has been in operation since 2002. It is a commercially developed interconnector and operates without government conducting ongoing assessments of its condition.

On future interconnection between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ofgem gave in-principle approval in November 2024 for the proposed LirIC electricity interconnector. This project is being taken forward under the Ofgem cap and floor regulatory regime.

The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero works extensively with the energy sector to continually improve and maintain the resilience and security of energy infrastructure against risks including severe weather events, such as storms.

The Energy Resilience Strategy, due for publication later this year, will seize the unique opportunity presented by the energy transition to embed resilience into the design of our future energy system.

This Strategy will set out our priorities for building a secure and resilient energy system and explain how we will work with industry, infrastructure partners, and the public to strengthen prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Energy policy and electricity system resilience are transferred matters in Northern Ireland, falling within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive The UK Government maintains a close working relationship with the Department for the Economy, supporting them in managing energy security and resilience, and stands ready to help Northern Ireland during significant disruptions, as demonstrated during Storm Eowyn.

The detail of commitments for a future agreement for the UK’s participation in the EU’s internal electricity market is a matter for negotiations.

As the Chancellor set out at Budget, the government will present a full response to the Nuclear Regulatory Review within three months, taking account of our international obligations, national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes.

The government will complete implementation of the Nuclear Regulatory Review within two years, subject to legislative timelines on elements requiring primary legislation.

The total megawatt deployment capacity for fixed bottom offshore wind in Wales is 775 megawatts and 100 megawatts for floating offshore wind. These projects represent the first successful developments in Wales in over a decade.

To ensure the bill savings from the transition to clean energy technologies are felt in all parts of the country, the different needs and approaches of the Devolved Governments will need to be recognised. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Welsh Government and will publish the Warm Homes Plan soon.

To ensure the bill savings from the transition to clean energy technologies are felt in all parts of the country, the different needs and approaches of the Devolved Governments will need to be recognised. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Welsh Government and will publish the Warm Homes Plan soon.

The Minister has been engaging with his Ministerial counterparts in the Welsh government regarding the Warm Homes Plan.

To ensure the bill savings from the transition to clean energy technologies are felt in all parts of the country, the different needs and approaches of the Devolved Governments will need to be recognised. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Welsh Government and will publish the Warm Homes Plan soon.

The number of unique households in Wales receiving measures under each Energy Company Obligation (ECO) phase between January 2013 and September 2025 is shown in the table below. Each property is counted when receiving an ECO measure for the first time under each phase. The total of 140,439 homes is lower than the sum of the phases as it shows the unique number of households receiving measures across the scheme.

These data have been derived from the Household Energy Efficiency statistics publication where further details on the measures delivered can be found.

Summary table

As set out on 24 December (HL12986), Great British Energy-Nuclear's (GBE-N) ambition is for 70% British built products across a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) fleet, including both on-site and off-site activity.

The GBE-N SMR Technology Selection Process evaluated bids against technical, economic, and social value criteria, though any specific commitments would remain subject to final government approvals and GBE-N entering into contract with Rolls-Royce SMR.

The department recognises the potential importance of americium for advanced technologies, including space power systems.

Whilst no decisions have been taken, government continue to explore opportunities for collaboration with industry. Any future private sector involvement would need to comply with strict safety, security and regulatory frameworks.

Government is committed to supporting businesses to transition to new opportunities in the sector, including exploring options to support the supply chain to transition from ECO and GBIS to capital scheme delivery.

The Warm Homes Plan, due to be published soon, will set out government’s plans to invest nearly £15 billion to upgrade low‑income homes and scale clean home‑energy technologies. The number of UK jobs supported in clean energy industries and their supply chains is estimated to increase from around 440,000 today to around 860,000 by 2030 and we are working closely with the sector to support its growth.

We are working with MCS and certification bodies to determine the number of homes in Wales awaiting remediation of work carried out by Consumer Energy Solutions under ECO4.

Ministers have been clear that no household should be asked to pay to fix work that is non‑compliant through no fault of their own. Where issues are identified, the installer responsible is expected to put them right. Where an installer has ceased trading or fails to remediate, households should contact their relevant guarantee provider to access the protections of their guarantee. Further advice will be provided to affected households shortly.

Estimated Energy Company Obligation (ECO) costs for Great Britain can be found in Table 5.1 of the latest Household Energy Efficiency Statistics Release. Figures for Wales are not available.

A competitive and open tender process was run for Fuel Finder in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and government procurement policies and guidance. Evaluation criteria included quality, technical criteria and total cost.

The Fuel Finder contract is managed in line with the Government Digital Service Standard and is overseen by Departmental project boards, following established governance arrangements and spend assurance processes that apply to all major digital and commercial projects.

All of the above are steps taken to ensure an effective implementation and the project will continue to be reviewed to ensure value for money, minimising and managing costs carefully.

The Department is supporting the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL)’s work to extract americium from the UK’s civil separated plutonium inventory at Sellafield for the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) ENDURE Programme.

Discussions are taking place with industry, public bodies and wider government prior to any decision making beyond current commitments.

For installations under DESNZ schemes, consumers are entitled to remediation where work has not been up to standard even when an installer has ceased trading. Homeowners should claim through their guarantee where this is the case. However, we understand most spray foam loft insulation has been installed outside of our schemes where the protection available depends on what was agreed at the time between the homeowner and the installer.

Poor-quality installations are the result of years of a failed system, and this government is committed to introducing new reforms to drive up quality and protect consumers through the Warm Homes Plan.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is the lead department for the energy sector only. Regarding energy utility bills, lowering bills is central to every decision we make.

Thanks to decisions in Government's Autumn Budget, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will deliver an average £150 of costs off household energy bills from April 2026. As a result of this action, people can expect to make a significant saving on their bills.

In addition, in 2024-2025, 7,961 households (18.4%) in Ashfield benefited from the Warm Home Discount - a £150 discount on their energy bill. This winter, we are expanding this discount so that around 6 million low-income households will receive this support, including an approximate additional 160,000 households in the East Midlands region.

Beyond these measures, this Government is taking back control of our energy to prevent the British people from being left exposed to price shocks caused by our dependence on fossil fuel markets. We are delivering the biggest investment in clean, low-cost energy in British history, so we can build a system that protects billpayers permanently.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is the lead department for the energy sector only. Regarding energy utility bills, lowering bills is central to every decision we make.

Thanks to decisions in Government's Autumn Budget, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will deliver an average £150 of costs off household energy bills from April 2026. As a result of this action, people can expect to make a significant saving on their bills.

In addition, in 2024-2025, 7,961 households (18.4%) in Ashfield benefited from the Warm Home Discount - a £150 discount on their energy bill. This winter, we are expanding this discount so that around 6 million low-income households will receive this support, including an approximate additional 160,000 households in the East Midlands region.

Beyond these measures, this Government is taking back control of our energy to prevent the British people from being left exposed to price shocks caused by our dependence on fossil fuel markets. We are delivering the biggest investment in clean, low-cost energy in British history, so we can build a system that protects billpayers permanently.

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan, which will be published soon, represents the biggest ever public investment in home upgrades. This exceeds our manifesto commitment and is a major step forward in the Government’s plans to upgrade up to 5 million homes over this Parliament and cut energy bills for good.

Schemes run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero do not have a list of eligible products but require that assessments are made and designs produced for properties individually, with the most appropriate measures installed to the required standard.

Official statistics of government schemes are collected by measure rather than product. Under the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme there were 6,217 pitched roof loft insulation measures installed. As of August 2025, ECO 4 had installed 1,698, and GBIS 130. Spray foam is not the only product used for this measure, so the precise number will be lower.

Official statistics for the schemes can be found here: GHG Vouchers: Green Homes Grant and Home Upgrade Grant statistics - GOV.UK

ECO: Household Energy Efficiency Statistics - GOV.UK

GBIS: Great British Insulation Scheme - GOV.UK

Tackling affordability is the Government’s number one priority and we recognise the challenges businesses, such as pubs and hospitality venues, face in securing appropriate, fair and competitively priced energy contracts.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers – including businesses – permanently.

Beyond this, the Government and Ofgem are taking decisive action to inform and protect non-domestic energy consumers as well as improving access to redress when issues occur.

Many businesses engage with the energy market through energy brokers and other third-party intermediaries. Government recently announced plans to appoint Ofgem to regulate intermediaries, when Parliamentary time allows.

The Government keeps the threat of both domestic and international espionage to UK energy infrastructure under regular review. This includes assessments of the threat picture undertaken with industry, security agencies and international counterparts, drawing on intelligence reporting and incident trends.

Collaboration with allies is critical to our collective security and resilience. DESNZ engages closely with international partners and multilateral institutions, including NATO, to monitor potential espionage activity targeting energy infrastructure in the UK and abroad, share situational awareness, and identify trends that may have implications for national security.

The Department continues to monitor threats closely and works with industry to ensure the security of UK energy infrastructure against espionage activity from both domestic and international actors.

National Security is a key priority for the government. The Department takes the threat of espionage against the energy sector extremely seriously and works closely with industry, regulators and Government partners to ensure a strong and coordinated approach. This includes maintaining robust cyber, physical and personnel security measures to identify, prevent and respond to hostile activity.

Operators should regularly assess risks and test their preparedness, and the Government continues to work to strengthen resilience across the sector so that the UK energy sector maintains a high level of preparedness to counter espionage risks.

The Government’s Fuel Finder scheme is now live, with registration open to motor fuel traders. From 2 February, all UK petrol filling stations will be required to report fuel prices, encouraging competitive pricing among retailers.

Fuel Finder data will be made available to data services such as mapping software and price comparison apps to enable consumers to compare prices more easily and helping to tackle the price of an essential product for thousands of hardworking people across the country.

ECO4 has played a part in delivering clean heat technologies; however, issues identified by the NAO and PAC support a shift to a more direct, publicly-funded approach focused on technologies that cut bills and accelerate the transition to clean heat such as heat pumps, solar PV and batteries. The government is providing an additional £1.5 billion—taking planned capital investment to almost £15 billion—to upgrade low‑income homes and scale clean home‑energy technologies. Deployment will be further supported through wider policies and details of this will be set out soon in the Warm Homes Plan.

ECO4 has played a part in delivering clean heat technologies; however, issues identified by the NAO and PAC support a shift to a more direct, publicly-funded approach focused on technologies that cut bills and accelerate the transition to clean heat such as heat pumps, solar PV and batteries. The government is providing an additional £1.5 billion—taking planned capital investment to almost £15 billion—to upgrade low‑income homes and scale clean home‑energy technologies. Deployment will be further supported through wider policies and details of this will be set out soon in the Warm Homes Plan.

Electricity demand between now and 2050 will depend on future decarbonisation choices and economic and population drivers.

However, the Government expects electricity demand to more than double by 2050, driven by economic and population growth and widespread electrification – particularly of transport and heating.

The Government is committed to ensuring fair fuel prices for consumers and businesses. Following the Competition and Markets Authority’s 2023 Road Fuel Market Study, we introduced statutory powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 to monitor pricing and identify anti-competitive behaviour in the fuel market. We are also implementing Fuel Finder, an open data scheme providing real-time petrol and diesel prices to improve transparency and competition, helping drivers and businesses find the best deals. These measures aim to reduce costs and protect consumer interests across the UK, including South Holland and The Deepings.

ECO4 has played a part in delivering clean heat technologies; however, issues identified by the NAO and PAC support a shift to a more direct, publicly-funded approach focused on technologies that cut bills and accelerate the transition to clean heat such as heat pumps, solar PV and batteries.

The government is providing an additional £1.5 billion—taking planned capital investment to almost £15 billion—to upgrade low‑income homes and scale clean home‑energy technologies. Deployment will be further supported through wider policies and details of this will be set out soon in the Warm Homes Plan.

The Government notes the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) annual road fuel monitoring report, which found that fuel margins remain high and are not explained by operating costs.

Addressing the CMA’s findings, the Government is implementing Fuel Finder, a statutory open data scheme for road fuel prices to improve price transparency and incentivise competition in the market from both supermarket and non-supermarket retailers. The CMA also has statutory powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 to monitor the market and advise on any further action.

UK clean energy and related supply chain jobs are projected to rise from around 440,000 in 2023 to around 860,000 by 2030.

In April, we announced plans to train up to 18,000 skilled workers to install heat pumps, solar panels, insulation and work on heat networks through the Heat Training Grant and Warm Homes Skills Programme.

We have established the industry led Construction Skills Mission Board, tasked with developing and delivering a comprehensive industry skills led action plan. Further initiatives to support SMEs in the retrofit supply chain across the country in the Warm Homes Plan which will be published soon.

For installations under DESNZ schemes, consumers are entitled to remediation where work has not been up to standard even when an installer has ceased trading. Homeowners should claim through their guarantee where this is the case. However, we understand most spray foam loft insulation has been installed outside of our schemes where the protection available depends on what was agreed at the time between the homeowner and the installer.

Poor-quality installations are the result of years of a failed system, and this government is committed to introducing new reforms to drive up quality and protect consumers through the Warm Homes Plan.

All completed installations under ECO4 and GBIS are covered by a guarantee. Consumers should approach their guarantee provider for support within the bounds of their policy. We are actively and urgently working with Trustmark, MCS and scheme providers to consider how best to support recipients of CES’ work. We will provide further advice as soon as possible. No household should be asked to pay to rectify non-compliant works.

Linking the UK ETS and EU ETS is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the UK.

These include providing businesses with access to a larger, stable carbon market; the removal of regulatory barriers in sectors like CO2 storage; supporting UK renewable rollout; and lowering electricity costs in the long run.

Additionally, linking is expected to create the conditions for mutual CBAM exemptions, removing a major barrier to trade and lowering costs for UK firms. The £800m estimate is from a Frontier Economics report and refers to cumulative savings between 2026 and 2030.

Public procurement policy on steel is set out in Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 022 which encompasses different types of steel. Based on full Departmental returns that provided data to the Department for Business and Trade, including on the origin of steel, the Government's procurement data shows that in financial year 2024/25, only c.£29k worth of publicly procured steel was of Chinese origin, out of a total of c.£372m worth of publicly procured steel.

Steel used in Net Zero Teesside (NZT) and other carbon capture and storage schemes falls outside of public procurement. NZT are using an open and transparent tendering process and will be awarding contracts based on capacity, capability and other factors. I have met with the project developer to express my concern about the reported potential use of Chinese steel in this project and we will continue to engage with the CCUS sector to promote the industry-led voluntary ambition of 50% UK local content across the value chain and we have confidence that NZT are on track to achieve more than 50% UK content.

For existing schemes, we work with Ofgem, TrustMark and energy suppliers to detect, prevent and deter fraud. When Ofgem is notified of suspected fraud, they engage with suppliers, Action Fraud and the Serious Fraud Office to ensure robust investigation.

We are taking on board the lessons identified by the NAO, embedding these into our future consumer protection systems, and applying relevant lessons from grant-funded programmes as part of our revised approach to assurance in all retrofit schemes. We have increased departmental oversight of consumer levy funded schemes and will publish an updated Accounting Officer statement with our 2025-26 annual report.

ECO4 has played a part in delivering clean heat technologies; however, issues identified by the NAO and PAC support a shift to a more direct, publicly-funded approach focused on technologies that cut bills and accelerate the transition to clean heat such as heat pumps, solar PV and batteries. The government is providing an additional £1.5 billion—taking planned capital investment to almost £15 billion—to upgrade low‑income homes and scale clean home‑energy technologies. Deployment will be further supported through wider policies and details of this will be set out soon in the Warm Homes Plan.

Linking the UK ETS and EU ETS is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the UK.

These include providing businesses with access to a larger, stable carbon market; the removal of regulatory barriers in sectors like CO2 storage; supporting UK renewable rollout; and lowering electricity costs in the long run.

Additionally, linking is expected to create the conditions for mutual CBAM exemptions, removing a major barrier to trade and lowering costs for UK firms. The £800m estimate is from a Frontier Economics report and refers to cumulative savings between 2026 and 2030.