Energy 22h 0m left
Should there be a public inquiry into why UK energy bills are so high?
No public inquiry into energy bills currently exists. Ofgem's price cap for a typical household is £1,723 a year from October to December 2026, up 4% on the previous quarter and about 52% below the 2022 peak. Parliamentary committees have examined energy costs, including a Commons committee inquiry begun in 2025 and a 2025 Public Accounts Committee report. The October 2026 Budget promised a cost-control framework for policy costs on bills and the removal of the gas standing charge. Wholesale gas prices remain high amid the Middle East conflict.
2 Opinions
No, this is no the sort of reason public enquiries should be held. Between net zero, and war in the middle east the reasons are apparent and clear.
The market is a good servant but a bad master. We cannot leave an essential utility like heating to the whims of free market profiteering. A statutory public inquiry is the only way to legally compel energy companies to open their books and explain why wholesale price drops aren't reaching consumers.