The Library’s research on energy policy, covering consumers, infrastructure, markets and prices, and legislation, is collected on this webpage.
Energy is a broad term encompassing a range of different fuels and end uses. Electricity, heating and transport fuels are all forms of energy used across the sectors of the UK economy, including the domestic, business, and industrial sectors.
Energy policy is the responsibility of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), though some areas are devolved. Although there are several regulators for specific parts of the energy sector, much of the energy market as a whole is regulated by Ofgem. Other departments have overlap with energy issues, including the Department for Transport for transport fuels, the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government for energy use in buildings through the planning and building regulation systems, and the HM Treasury for energy investment.
The Commons Library has covered the energy sector in in-depth research briefings, quick-read Insights, data dashboards that visualise energy statistics across the UK, and constituency casework articles to help answer constituents’ frequent energy questions. This webpage gathers together all our energy research, and the links below are to collections of research on specific areas of energy.
This page summarises the Commons Library publications on energy policy. The overview briefing paper provides background on energy in the UK, the basis for energy policy, and a timeline of significant developments in energy policy.
This briefing introduces the domestic energy market in Great Britain, explains how energy bills are calculated, and what the current challenges are.
See the Library’s research on energy markets, including wholesale and retail markets, domestic and non-domestic industry prices, and energy security issues.
See all the Library’s research on energy infrastructure issues including large-scale energy generation, and transmission and distribution through grid networks.
See all the Library’s research on consumer energy issues including bills, grid connections, energy efficiency, domestic heat and power installations, and fuel poverty.
Various pieces of energy legislation have been passed recently or have been proposed by the Labour government. See all our briefings on this legislation here.
