Powering Homes News
Is the price cap going up or down this winter? Has a grant you were counting on changed, or a new one opened? Is the company that made your boiler, battery or heat pump still trading?
We follow the government, regulators and industry bodies, and report each change in plain English: who it affects and what it means for your bills. Every story links to our guides on what to do next.
- September 2026
Winter Fuel Payment claims open for winter 2026/27
Claims for the winter 2026/27 Winter Fuel Payment opened on 21 September 2026 and close on 31 March 2027, with most eligible households paid automatically in November or December.
Household Electricity Discount Scheme to continue in 2027 and 2028
Northern Ireland's Economy Minister has confirmed a £63 electricity bill discount for around 860,000 households from 6 October, with the scheme continuing in 2027 and 2028.
Coalition sets out seven-point winter rescue plan for the Chancellor's Budget
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has sent the Chancellor a seven-point Budget submission centred on writing off energy crisis arrears, as gas unit rates are forecast to double by January 2027.
Rules and RegulationYour Type of HomeEnergy Bills and the Price Cap
More than 120 organisations call for levies to be moved off electricity bills
More than 120 organisations, coordinated by Energy UK and the Electricity Bills Taskforce, have written to the Chancellor urging that levies be moved off electricity bills and onto general taxation before the Autumn Budget.
NGN announces 17-week gas mains upgrade on Welham Road, Norton
Northern Gas Networks will begin a 17-week gas mains replacement on Welham Road in Norton, North Yorkshire, from 21 September, starting with a three-week road closure and then multi-way traffic lights.
Anker SOLIX launches XE all-in-one home energy storage in UK and Ireland
Anker SOLIX has launched the XE, an all-in-one home battery with integrated inverter, in the UK and Ireland through authorised installers, with capacities from 7 kWh to 126 kWh.
Heating oil spot price up 95.3 per cent year on year
EUA reports the heating oil spot price at 102.3p per litre on 14 September 2026, up 95.3 per cent on the same day last year and above the 12-month average of 77.8p.
Consumer Scotland publishes response to UK Government consultation on consumer protection for home upgrade schemes
Consumer Scotland has told a UK Government consultation it supports plans to reform consumer protection for home upgrade schemes, while seeking clarity on how a new service would work alongside Scottish programmes.
NAO warns that delayed grid upgrades could increase household energy bills
The National Audit Office has warned that without urgent electricity grid upgrades, constraint costs paid by consumers could rise from around £1.9bn to £7.8bn by 2030.
NESO identifies grid projects requiring acceleration
The National Audit Office has said grid upgrade delays risk pushing constraint costs from around £1.9bn in 2025-26 towards £7.8bn by 2030, with NESO naming three projects for acceleration.
Product safety report published for ROMADA EV charger presenting serious risk of electric shock
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has published product safety reports for two ROMADA electric vehicle chargers, both presenting a serious risk of electric shock, with imports rejected at the border.
Public Accounts Committee report finds water, energy and broadband regulators fail to do enough for vulnerable people
The Public Accounts Committee has told Ofgem, Ofwat and Ofcom they are not doing enough for consumers who cannot afford their bills, and wants discounted tariffs made the default for the most financially vulnerable.
Consultation on reforming consumer protection for home upgrade schemes closes
The government consultation on reforming consumer protection for home upgrade schemes closed at 11:59pm on 10 September 2026, with feedback now being analysed.
Energy UK publishes response to DESNZ consultation on reforming consumer protection for home upgrade schemes
Energy UK has published its response to a government consultation on consumer protection for home upgrade schemes, backing installer accountability, a single certification body and a stronger Warm Homes Agency.
MCS sets out consumer protection under redeveloped installer Scheme
MCS has set out the consumer protections that will apply under its redeveloped installer Scheme, including in-house complaints handling, free binding dispute resolution and financial protection of at least six years.
PredBat v9.0.2 released with FoxCloud Feed-in First and GE Cloud fixes
PredBat version 9.0.2 selects Feed-in First for Fox Cloud freeze export, fixes GE Cloud scheduled charge control and adds a myenergi zappi option for automatic configuration.
UK wholesale gas prices hit four-year high
UK wholesale gas reached levels last seen in December 2022, approaching 200p per therm on 9 September 2026, while heating oil prices exceeded their previous five-year highs.
Where Our Energy Comes FromStatisticsEnergy Bills and the Price Cap
FAQ page for Approved Document L 2026 edition published
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published answers to common questions on the 2026 edition of Approved Document L, setting out how solar requirements apply to new homes in England.
RAW Charging marks World EV Day with free charging across its national AC network and select Ultra-rapid hubs
RAW Charging marked World EV Day with free charging across its national AC network and at selected Ultra-rapid hubs, according to a Zapmap news item published on 8 September 2026.
Tax information and impact note published on temporary VAT zero rate
HM Revenue and Customs has published the tax information and impact note for a temporary zero rate of VAT on qualifying domestic electricity in Great Britain, running from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
TotalEnergies begins delivery of TfL rapid and ultra-rapid charging rollout across London
TotalEnergies has started delivering Transport for London's rapid and ultra-rapid charging rollout across the capital, according to a news report published on 8 September 2026.
UKAS approves MCS Installer scheme updates for air-to-air heat pumps
UKAS has approved updates to the redeveloped MCS Installer scheme to incorporate air-to-air heat pumps, allowing MCS to begin accrediting certification bodies for the technology.
Consultation launched on a proposed Welsh public energy company
The Welsh Government has opened a consultation on proposals for a single national public energy company owned by the people of Wales, running until 30 November 2026.
Predbat v8.55.0 released with improved plan history view and PV clipping predictions
Predbat has released version 8.55.0, improving its plan history view and PV clipping predictions and extending the manual rate override horizon to seven days.
Predbat v9.0.0 released, moving GivTCP REST into its own component
Predbat has released version 9.0.0, refactoring GivTCP REST handling into a standalone component and adding Octopus Intelligent Go and inverter fixes for home battery control.
Firmus Energy Ten Towns tariff to increase by 9%
The Utility Regulator has confirmed a 9% rise in firmus energy's regulated gas tariff in the Ten Towns network, announced on 4 September 2026 after a review of the supplier's costs.
Uswitch updated its green energy guide
Uswitch updated its green energy guide on 4 September 2026, publishing current supplier fuel mix figures and the standards a tariff must meet to carry its Green Accreditation badge.
Zapmap guide updated on five ways to find and pay for EV charging
Zapmap has updated its guide to finding and paying for public EV charging, covering live charge point status, in-app payment across more than 40 networks, EV model profiles, route planning and driver check-ins.
Predbat v8.54.3 released with a critical security fix for credential leakage
Predbat has published a security update that stops its home battery control software leaking credentials through apps.yaml downloads and debug dumps, alongside a set of smaller fixes.
Scottish Government publishes fuel poverty scenario modelling for October to December 2026 price cap period
Scottish Government modelling estimates around 820,000 fuel poor households in Scotland, 32 per cent of all households, for the October to December 2026 price cap period, up around 20,000 on the previous quarter.
StatisticsScotland, Wales and Northern IrelandEnergy Bills and the Price Cap