Healey weighs removing standing charges on gas bills Energy Chancellor John Healey is looking at cutting standing charges on gas bills as part of the government’s push to cut household energy costs, the Prime Minister has announced. Speaking in the House of Commons today, Andy Burnham said he had asked the Chancellor and the energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, to consider stripping “unfair” standing charges [...]
Supreme Court blocks Scottish Power’s £28m tax write-off Tax The Supreme Court has ruled that the energy giant, Scottish Power, cannot deduct £28m in regulatory settlement payments from its taxable corporate profits after a lengthy legal battle with HMRC. The legal case stems from a probe by the energy regulator Ofgem into Scottish Power between 2013 and 2016 regarding mis-selling, poor complaints handling, and [...]
UK government approves Jackdaw production in North Sea boost Energy A major gas field in the North Sea has been re-approved by the government following years of legal rows with environment campaigners. The Jackdaw site, a large offshore natural gas field 150 miles east of Aberdeen, has received the official stamp of approval from the government and is expected to supply gas to the UK [...]
Burnham complains Jackdaw and Rosebank approval delayed by ‘government process’ October 14, 2026 Approval for more oil and gas drilling at the North Sea sites Jackdaw and Rosebank have been delayed by “government process” and lengthy bureaucratic wrangling, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said. Burnham told MPs that he would take a “pragmatic approach” on oil and gas drilling amid calls from energy bosses for drilling to go [...]
BP braces for hit of up to $4.5bn in pivot from green energy October 13, 2026 BP is bracing for a hit of up to $4.5bn after a hefty write-down in its energy transition unit, as the firm pivots away from aggressive green targets. The FTSE 100 energy giant told markets on Tuesday its third quarter update – set for the end of the month – would include a post-tax impairment [...]
Oil prices waver as Trump pushes for dubious Ukraine-Russia ‘ceasefire’ October 12, 2026 Oil prices remained above the $100 mark on Monday morning after President Trump hailed a deal with Russia’s President Putin that would lead to the supply of millions of barrels of diesel to the US and global markets. Brent crude oil futures, a benchmark for international prices, fell by about 0.6 per cent to $104 [...]
Retailers demand energy bill cuts as costs rise by £440m October 8, 2026 Retailers have urged John Healey to slash green policy costs from energy bills, warning that their electricity costs are set to soar by £440m this year. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) – which represents top retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer – has warned that rising “policy costs” on energy bills will inevitably [...]
Shell eyes profit windfall from surging fuel prices October 7, 2026 Shell is poised to reap major gains from its refining operations after the global surge in fuel prices dramatically ramped up the group’s profit margins. The blue-chip energy giant said on Wednesday it expects its indicative refining margin – the difference between the cost of crude oil and the market value of finished fuels like [...]
Burnham to announce new publicly-owned grid operator September 29, 2026 Andy Burnham is expected to announce a new publicly-owned body which will invest in the UK’s electricity grid in an attempt to bring down Britain’s sky-high energy costs. The Prime Minister is tipped to unveil Great British Grid, which will speed up connections to the grid by driving up competition for projects, during his Labour [...]
‘Uncharted territory’: UK economy facing shocks as diesel and borrowing costs surge September 28, 2026 The UK economy entered “uncharted territory” on Monday battling an assortment of financial pressures as fears intensified ahead of the next Budget. Diesel costs surged to a record high of 199.18p per litre marking the latest energy shock on the UK economy. Stations were registered as charging 199.18p per litre, according to the RAC. The [...]