Question 1

What is the energy price cap?

Accepted Answer

The energy price cap is set by Ofgem and limits the unit rates and standing charges suppliers in England, Scotland and Wales can charge customers on standard variable tariffs. It is not a cap on total bills. Ofgem reviews it every three months and announces each new level about five weeks before it starts. Ofgem also gives a "typical household" annual figure, based on average usage, which is the number usually quoted.

Question 2

What are UK greenhouse gas emissions?

Accepted Answer

DESNZ publishes the official UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions figures: provisional estimates each March and final figures each February, broken down by sector and gas, going back to 1990. These cover emissions produced in the UK. The UK's carbon footprint, including emissions from imported goods, is a separate Defra statistic. The Climate Change Committee reports progress against carbon budgets each year.

Question 3

Where can I find official UK fuel prices?

Accepted Answer

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes average UK pump prices for petrol and diesel every week, with a long time series, and monthly prices with a breakdown of duty and VAT. Check whether a claim uses the weekly average or a single day, and whether it compares pence per litre including or excluding duty and VAT.

Question 4

Where can I find road traffic statistics?

Accepted Answer

The Department for Transport publishes road traffic estimates for Great Britain each year and quarterly, by vehicle type and road type. Its road traffic statistics website shows counts at individual count points and has a free API. Reported road casualties, including deaths, are published separately each year from police reports.

Question 5

How many people use the railways?

Accepted Answer

The Office of Rail and Road publishes rail passenger journeys quarterly, train punctuality and cancellations every four weeks, and estimates of usage at every station each year. All of it is on the ORR data portal. Punctuality measures changed in 2019, so the "Public Performance Measure" and the newer "on time" measure cannot be compared directly.

Question 6

How many people die on UK roads each year?

Accepted Answer

The Department for Transport publishes reported road casualties in Great Britain each year, with provisional figures earlier, covering deaths and injuries by road user type, age and area. They come from police records of collisions. Some injuries are never reported to police, so DfT also publishes estimates of total casualties. Northern Ireland's figures are published by the PSNI.

Question 7

How much UK electricity comes from renewables?

Accepted Answer

DESNZ's quarterly Energy Trends release reports electricity generation by source, including the renewable share, and the annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) gives the full picture each July. Check whether a figure is the share of generation or of supply (which includes imports), and whether it covers a quarter or a year, as wind output varies a lot by season.

Question 8

How is the energy price cap calculated?

Accepted Answer

Ofgem builds the cap from estimates of each cost a supplier faces: wholesale energy, network charges, policy costs, operating costs, VAT and an allowance for profit. Wholesale costs are the largest and most variable part. Ofgem publishes the model and the breakdown of each cap period, so you can see which component drove a change.

Energy, transport and emissions: your questions answered