BRITAIN’S BETTER OFF
WITHOUT GAS

Situation

Two years of high energy bills have worn us down

Too many people are struggling in cold homes, and local businesses can’t afford to keep their doors open.

Prices have shot up across Europe but in the UK, our bills rose faster. And they’re falling much slower than almost everyone else. Why? Because we rely so much more on gas.

The market controls the price of gas. And because we rely on it more than other countries, unreliable prices affect us more. That’s why our energy bills are unreliable too.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The UK can fix its broken energy system. But we need a long term plan from the government.

It’s time to lower energy bills for good.

Problem

Why drilling for more gas won’t lower our energy bills

• The government has admitted more North Sea gas won't lower our energy bills. That's because there isn't enough gas left in the UK to make a difference to the price. We don't own the gas anyway. It belongs to companies. And they sell it at the highest price they can get on the open market.
• The price of gas is unreliable. It goes up and down based on events across the world – events outside the UK’s control. Unreliable prices mean unreliable bills.
• Other countries rely less on gas and more on renewables. The UK was among the hardest hit in Europe by soaring gas prices and sky high bills.
• Nearly half (40 per cent) of our electricity comes from gas and almost three quarters (74 per cent) of our homes are heated with it – the highest proportion in Western Europe.
• That's why countless other countries are getting off gas now, so they aren’t at risk from high energy prices.

Solution

What can the government do to solve the energy crisis?

• More government help with energy bills, so people aren’t pushed into poverty.
• Government support to upgrade homes. A programme to properly insulate homes and install better heating systems, will help people cut their bills.
• Rapidly expand cheap, renewable energy to lower bills for good, and strengthen energy security.
• No new oil and gas developments, so we're not locked into expensive energy for longer than needed.