The price of heating oil has already risen sharply. Expect gas and electricity to be next.

Need to improve consumer protections and ensure priority access for vulnerable households, while wider efforts made to reduce our dependence and make homes much warmer, greener and healthier.

In meantime, welcome support to help those in crisis get through today, tomorrow, next week.

Rural households often first and hardest hit. Unregulated off-gas fuels, like oil and LPG, not protected by a price cap. Face high upfront costs, having to purchase 100s of litres usually at £100s at a time, while already in deep difficulty.

Written Statement: Support available to help with the cost of living | GOV.WALES Jane Hutt MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip

See: www.gov.wales/written-stat...

The Fuel Bank Foundation - supported by Welsh Govt - is also increasing the minimum delivery support through its Heat Fund in Wales for those in crisis.

Welsh Govt has confirmed that while it develops options as to how best to provide support in 2026/27, it's acted now to temporarily increase emergency support via its Discretionary Assistance Fund to £750 per award (and enabled households to apply twice in a rolling 12-month period).

*Heating oil* (Wales)

Welsh Govt will receive £3.8m from UK Govt from April to support households in Wales dependent on oil for heating and hot water.

In a written statement today...

Alongside that, we continue to call on Ofgem/UK Govt for meaningful debt relief *and* reforms that make energy genuinely affordable. One without the other may see families fall straight back into hardship.

Wales should receive a sizeable amount in consequential funding.

A key question here - especially ahead of the Senedd election - is whether that funding will be fully committed to the same mission: to make the homes of those most in need warmer, greener, healthier places to live?

A fair portion of the 'savings' come from ending ECO - a programme that aimed to help vulnerable households permanently reduce bills by improving the efficiency of their home.

Now the UK Govt has a £15bn Warm Homes Plan, with around a third for grants for low-income households.

After 5 years of punishing prices, more than 4 in 5 low-income households in Wales are living in fuel poverty - many carrying significant debt just from trying to stay warm and keep the lights on.

A small cut - while welcome - doesn't fix that. And can't be mistaken for a solution.

The energy price cap will fall from 1 April. Average bills (paid by Direct Debit) will cost £1,641/yr.

A fall is v. welcome. It takes a bit of pressure off. But only *a bit*.

Not long ago, average bills were around £1000/yr. For many families, that now feels like a different era.

EPC reform coming soon, too.

Will be interesting to see what a new EPC ‘C’ looks like. And whether any uncertainty in the meantime and commitment to grandfathering (so that properties will remain compliant even when EPC measurements change) will motivate landlords into early action…

More to come!

Target of ‘EPC C’ by Oct 2030, subject to valid exemptions and £10k spending cap for landlords.

Primary ‘fabric’ metric, plus one of two secondary ‘heat’ or ‘smart’ metrics at landlord’s discretion.

Enforcement crucial, as ever. Fines of up to £30k per property, per breach.

In the meantime, worth not losing sight of the role and importance of higher MEES in the PRS – which seems to be flying under radar somewhat.

These are some of the leakiest homes, often occupied by some of the most vulnerable households, which cannot be kept warm at any reasonable cost.

More work needs to be done to ensure warmer, energy efficient homes are felt by fuel poor households. And this is a key part of a crucial opportunity to transform the coldest, dampest homes, improve public health, and permanently reduce bills and carbon.

Senedd elections are round the corner.

While we await clarity, we would like to see the next Welsh Government spend the full yield of this funding allocation to the same aims, at least matching the ambition set by the UK Government – to tackle fuel poverty, cut bills, and accelerate to net zero.

Seems c.£1.1bn consequentials for devolved nations, but TBD exactly how much each will receive.

In part, b/c appears decisions still to be made re. reach of loan scheme e.g. And also b/c adjustments may first need to be made to compensate for fact Wales is part of BUS, while Scot and NI are not?

Plan includes:

*grant funding for low-income h'holds (Eng)
*expanded Boiler Upgrade Scheme (Eng+Wales)
*loans for those who can afford them (TBC)
*higher minimum energy efficiency standards for privately rented properties (Eng+Wales)
*new Warm Homes Agency to help drive delivery and advice (TBC)

Not yet clear though, what the exact implications for Wales (and other devolved nations) are – incl. what will be available here, and what will be subject to Barnett consequential for the next Welsh Government to spend.

Firstly, fair to say, plan represents significant step forward on UK’s path to cleaner heating, warmer homes, and reduced levels of fuel poverty.

Comprises a mix of grants and loans, pragmatic delivery, and improved standards for rented properties, which many welcome.

A quick, initial summary of the UK Govt’s Warm Homes Plan and some questions it raises for Wales:

'Today’s figures lay bare the scale of the challenge - but also the opportunity.' Head of National Energy Action Cymru Ben Saltmarsh responds to new fuel poverty statistics that reveal a quarter of households in Wales are in fuel poverty.

'It is a relief that it will now go to so many more pension-age households who really need it.' Our Head of Policy Matt Copeland responds to news that over 75% of pensioners will now get the Winter Fuel Payment.

Suppliers commit to a further £18.6million customer compensation and debt write off following Ofgem’s prepayment meter review Energy suppliers that fell short of required standards when trying to recover debt by installing involuntary prepayment meters will pay £18.6million in compensation and debt write off.

Ofgem says these suppliers 'fell short of required standards when trying to recover debt'.

Its enforcement investigations into three other suppliers are continuing.

www.ofgem.gov.uk/press-releas...

ICYMI: Eight suppliers have committed to pay £18.6m in compensation and debt write off following the scandal of forced prepayment meter installations.

Sits alongside stricter standards introduced by Ofgem following concerted pressure from many at the time, incl. a welcome Senedd Committee inquiry.

NB: Standing charges from 1 July 2025:

North Wales & Mersey: £357/year
South Wales: £290/year
London: £270/year

The rates we pay in Wales remain higher, also.

What will cost, on average, £1,720 by direct debit across GB, costs £1,820 in north Wales (£100 higher) and £1,745 in south Wales.

The 1st and 3rd most expensive regions throughout GB, respectively.

'A short fall from a great height.'

Energy bills to decrease for first time in a year from July, down 7%, and roughly back to January's levels.

Welcome. Yet still out of reach for so many. Lots of whom find themselves saddled with crushing levels of energy debt, after four years of pain.

Wonderful to see lots of friendly faces at our North Wales Fuel Poverty Forum this morning with Ofgem and Charis Grants. Thanks to all who shared their insights into vulnerability, debt and what additional support is needed to help those in difficulty.