Energy Bills Are Falling in April. But is £10 a Month Really Relief?

26 February 2026

Paul Francis

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After years of eye-watering energy costs, Ofgem has confirmed that household bills will fall by around 7 per cent from April 2026. The headline figure sounds promising. In political terms, it is being framed as evidence that pressure on households is finally easing.

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But when translated into real terms, the average saving comes to roughly £10 per month for a typical household. That makes this less of a breakthrough and more of a modest adjustment.

So what is actually driving the reduction, who benefits, and how significant is it in the wider cost-of-living picture?

Why Prices Are Coming Down

The fall in the price cap is not the result of a sudden collapse in global energy markets. Instead, it is largely the product of a policy reshuffle combined with a partial easing of wholesale gas prices.

In the Autumn Budget, the government confirmed that certain policy costs would no longer be loaded directly onto household energy bills. The Energy Company Obligation scheme has been scrapped, and some environmental and policy-related charges are being moved into general taxation instead.

That accounting shift reduces the visible cost of energy on a household bill, particularly electricity. It does not mean those costs disappear entirely, but they are redistributed across the tax system rather than applied directly to usage.

At the same time, wholesale gas prices have fallen from the extreme highs seen in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While markets remain volatile, they are not at crisis levels. Because UK electricity pricing is closely linked to gas generation costs, lower wholesale prices feed into the price cap calculation.

Together, these changes bring the typical annual dual-fuel bill under the cap down from around £1,758 to approximately £1,641.

It is a movement in the right direction. But it is important to understand what it is and what it is not.

Who Actually Benefits From the Reduction

The 7 per cent drop primarily applies to households on standard variable tariffs governed by Ofgem’s price cap. Millions of people are still on these tariffs, either by choice or because they rolled off fixed deals during the height of the energy crisis.

If you are on a fixed tariff, the picture is more complicated. Some suppliers may reflect the policy cost changes in revised offers, but the headline reduction is specifically tied to the cap calculation. Fixed deals do not automatically track it.

Even among households on the price cap, savings will vary. The reduction is weighted more heavily toward electricity unit rates than gas. That means households that use more electricity relative to gas may see a slightly larger benefit. Those who rely predominantly on gas heating may notice a smaller shift.

Payment method also plays a role. Customers paying by direct debit tend to have lower capped bills than those paying quarterly by cash or cheque. Prepayment customers may see marginally different outcomes again.

The widely quoted £10 per month figure is based on a “typical” household using 11,500 kilowatt hours of gas and 2,700 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. Real households rarely fit that exact model.

Still Far Above Pre-Crisis Levels

Context is everything.

Before the energy crisis triggered by geopolitical tensions and wholesale market shocks, a typical household bill sat closer to £1,200 per year. Even after April’s reduction, the cap will remain roughly a third higher than those pre-2022 levels.

During the peak of the crisis, bills soared far beyond £4,000 under the cap before government intervention limited what households actually paid. The current drop does not represent a return to those earlier norms. It represents a step down from crisis territory to something closer to a new baseline.

Network costs are also rising. Maintaining and upgrading the UK’s energy infrastructure, including cables, pipelines and grid reinforcement, is adding pressure to bills. While some policy charges are being moved off bills, infrastructure investment is pushing in the opposite direction.

The result is a system where some costs fall, and others rise, leaving only a modest net saving for households.

The Broader Cost of Living Picture

Energy does not exist in isolation. While bills are set to fall in April, other household costs are moving upward.

Water bills are rising in some regions. Council tax increases are coming into effect. Food prices, although less volatile than in recent years, remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels.

For many families, a £10 reduction in energy costs may simply offset increases elsewhere. It is unlikely to feel like a meaningful financial turning point.

There is also the issue of accumulated debt. UK households collectively owe energy suppliers billions of pounds in arrears built up during the crisis years. For those struggling with repayment plans, the April reduction offers some breathing space but does not fundamentally change the affordability challenge.

Is This Something to Celebrate?

There is a temptation in political messaging to frame any reduction as a major victory. And it is fair to say that falling bills are better than rising ones.

However, the scale of the change matters. A 7 per cent drop sounds substantial until it is translated into monthly cash terms. For many households, £10 per month will be welcome but hardly transformative.

This is not a reset to cheap energy. It is a modest correction after an extraordinary period of price inflation.

Energy bills are falling, but they remain structurally higher than they were before the Ukraine war reshaped global energy markets. The pressure has eased slightly, yet the squeeze has not disappeared.

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Worker Safety Under Scrutiny: What U.S. Employment Laws Can Learn from the UK

Paul Francis
Oct 15, 2024
3 min read

Hurricane Helene, one of the most destructive storms in recent years, swept through the southern U.S., bringing catastrophic flooding and devastation. Tennessee was particularly hard hit, where the disaster took a tragic turn at Impact Plastics, a manufacturing plant in Erwin. Reports and lawsuits allege that some workers were allegedly forced to remain at the plant as floodwaters rose, leading to several deaths. This case has raised questions about workplace safety laws in the U.S. compared to the UK, especially in emergencies.

The Impact Plastics Case: A U.S. Employment Tragedy

During the peak of Hurricane Helene, employees at Impact Plastics allege they were ordered to stay at work despite the worsening flood conditions. Survivors and families of the victims, such as Johnny Peterson and Bertha Mendoza, have filed wrongful death lawsuits against the company, accusing them of negligence in failing to evacuate workers on time. These families claim that management prioritized production over safety, a charge now under investigation by state authorities.

In the U.S., this tragedy has highlighted the limitations of at-will employment and the potential for employers to exploit the system. Under at-will employment, companies can dismiss employees for any reason—or no reason at all—without notice. This flexibility, however, does not absolve employers from following Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, which require them to provide a safe working environment. If it is proven that Impact Plastics ignored these standards, the lawsuits could result in significant financial penalties and legal repercussions for the company.

U.S. Employment Law: At-Will Employment and Safety Regulations

While at-will employment gives U.S. companies the right to terminate employees freely, it comes with legal responsibilities to ensure worker safety. OSHA mandates that employers must prevent hazards and protect employees from danger, particularly during emergencies like natural disasters. However, as seen in the case of Impact Plastics, where workers were allegedly forced to stay in a dangerous environment, the law can sometimes fall short of protecting workers from extreme situations.

The lawsuits now facing Impact Plastics claim that management's failure to act and protect its employees resulted in preventable deaths. If OSHA finds that the company violated its safety protocols, Impact Plastics may face severe penalties beyond the civil lawsuits filed by the victims' families.

UK Employment Law: A Stronger Safety Net for Workers

In contrast, UK employment law offers far stronger protections for workers, especially regarding job security and workplace safety. The UK does not have an equivalent to at-will employment. Instead, employees are hired under permanent or fixed-term contracts and are protected from arbitrary dismissal by laws that require a formal and justified process for firing workers.

One of the UK's central protections is the right against unfair dismissal, provided by the Employment Rights Act 1996. Workers cannot be dismissed without good cause, particularly after two years of service, and employers must follow a defined procedure before terminating an employee. These protections would prevent a UK employer from arbitrarily terminating workers or requiring them to work under unsafe conditions without significant legal consequences.

The UK also has stringent workplace safety regulations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which places a legal obligation on employers to ensure the safety of their employees. Had a similar incident occurred in the UK, where a company allegedly forced workers to stay in dangerous conditions, it would face immediate investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). UK law requires employers to conduct thorough risk assessments and provide safe evacuation plans in emergencies.

The Evolution of UK Employment Law

UK employment law has evolved over centuries, shaped by labour movements, industrialization, and societal shifts toward human rights. Early labour protections emerged during the Industrial Revolution when unsafe working conditions in factories sparked the need for regulation. The Factories Act 1833 was one of the earliest laws aimed at improving workplace safety.

The labour movement grew through the 20th century, culminating in stronger worker protections, such as the Employment Protection Act of 1975, which introduced key rights like redundancy payments, notice periods, and protections against unfair dismissal. These laws were further refined with the Employment Rights Act of 1996, creating a modern framework that emphasizes both job security and worker safety.

Learning from the Tragedy

The Impact Plastics case underscores the importance of worker safety and the potential dangers of unchecked employer authority in the U.S., especially in high-risk situations like natural disasters. While at-will employment offers flexibility, it can leave workers vulnerable if employers do not prioritize safety.

In contrast, the UK's employment laws, built through years of labour activism and government reform, offer a far stronger safety net. The UK's emphasis on fair dismissal procedures and strict health and safety regulations ensures that workers are better protected in emergencies. As the lawsuits against Impact Plastics proceed, the case may spark discussions about the need for stronger employment laws in the U.S., particularly in times of crisis.