A new report shows that British consumers are incurring huge costs thanks to Westminster’s energy policies. Despite ongoing efforts to blame Russia, high gas prices in the UK are the 15th highest in a group of 24 comparable countries.
The True Affordability of Net Zero (Kathryn Porter for Watt-Logic) points to over £17 billion (€20.19 billion) annual expenditure on environmental levies, subsidies, carbon taxes, and energy taxes—expected to rise further in 2026. At present, wholesale electricity prices comprise only 42% of electricity bills, while gas prices determine less than 40% of electricity bills. More than half of household energy spending goes on other things.
Renewables are also proving unreliable. British consumers are familiar with windless, cloudy days—but the energy they do produce can’t always be drawn into the national grid, prompting further wasteful expenditure after being “constrained off,” in the jargon.
Meanwhile, energy companies are campaigning for gas to be more expensive so as to further subsidise wasteful Net Zero initiatives such as gas pumps. Unsurprisingly, Porter’s report predicts further price increases in the years ahead.
