Statistics news from 2022
37 stories, newest first
- December 2022
UK BEV sales exceed petrol car sales in a single month for the first time
Battery electric cars outsold petrol cars over a 12-month period in the UK for the first time, with 516,490 new BEVs bought against 504,010 petrol cars in the year to May 2026.
BEVs become second most popular powertrain in UK
Battery electric cars became Britain's second most popular powertrain after petrol in 2022, as plug-in vehicles took a record share of a shrinking new car market.
EHPA reports 59,862 UK heat pump sales in 2022
The European Heat Pump Association's survey data show 59,862 UK heat pump units were sold in 2022, a rise of 17,103 on 2021 and growth of 40 per cent.
NEA projects 8.4 million UK households in fuel poverty from April 2023
National Energy Action projects 8.4 million UK households will be in fuel poverty from April 2023, up from 4.5 million, as the Energy Bills Support Scheme ends and the price guarantee rises.
Pre-payment meter crisis hits smart meter customers, new data shows
Freedom of Information data shows 48,062 smart meters were switched to prepayment mode for debt in the first half of 2022, more than in the whole of 2021.
Research reveals nine million adults living in cold damp homes at Christmas
A Warm This Winter survey of 2,186 adults found 18 per cent of the population, or 9.02 million adults, were living in cold damp homes in December 2022.
Research reveals PPM customers living in cold damp homes and self-disconnecting
Research for the Warm This Winter campaign finds 64% of prepayment meter customers are vulnerable, 13% have self-disconnected and 31% live in cold damp homes.
- November 2022
Energy Price Guarantee began lowering gas and electricity prices
The Consumer Council's Home Energy Index records that the Government Energy Price Guarantee artificially lowered gas and electricity prices in Northern Ireland from 1 November 2022 until 30 June 2023.
Scottish Government publishes cost of living crisis analytical report
The Scottish Government's November 2022 cross-government analysis estimated around 860,000 households in Scotland, 35 per cent, would be in fuel poverty under a £2,500 price cap scenario.
Tesco ends free EV charging at its stores
Tesco ended free electric car charging at its stores on 1 November 2022, introducing fees for every charger regardless of speed, with rates later rising in March 2023.
- October 2022
Research finds homeowners preparing to invest over £16 billion on green home improvements
The Glass and Glazing Federation reports that UK homeowners are preparing to spend more than £16 billion on green home improvements, research it conducted during the nationwide energy crisis.
Energy crisis narrows electricity to gas price ratio, strengthening heat pump running cost case
Nesta reports the electricity to gas price ratio has fallen from over 5 in 2021 to around 3.8, and to around 3.3 under the Energy Price Guarantee, improving heat pump running cost comparisons.
Nesta publishes analysis of heat pumps and the energy crisis
Nesta analysis published on 25 October 2022 estimates that replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump cuts gas use by more than 70% and wholesale gas costs by over £1,100 a year.
Energy unit prices surge overnight as Energy Price Guarantee takes effect
Combined electricity and gas unit costs rose by between 23% and 27% overnight on 1 October 2022 as the Energy Price Guarantee took effect, with the level depending on payment method and location.
Fuel poverty estimates to rise with 1 October price cap change
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimates 21 million people in around 9 million homes will be in fuel poverty from the 1 October price cap rise, rising to 28 million people in January 2023.
Household energy bills rose 27%
Typical household energy bills rose by 27% in October 2022, following a 54% increase in April, according to parliamentary research on domestic energy prices.
UK inflation reaches 41-year high of 11.1%
UK inflation reached 11.1% in October 2022, a 41-year high, as household energy bills rose sharply and government support for bills was paid out.
- September 2022
PBCC adds postcode-level energy consumption and EPC datasets
The Place-Based Carbon Calculator has added postcode-level gas and electricity consumption data for England, Scotland and Wales, plus UPRN-linked Energy Performance Certificate data for England and Wales.
- August 2022
Friends of the Earth research identifies almost 9,000 energy crisis hotspots in England and Wales
Friends of the Earth research identifies almost 9,000 energy crisis hotspots across England and Wales, with Birmingham and Bradford ranked highest among 30 local authority areas at greatest risk of serious financial hardship.
- July 2022
NEA projects 8.2 million UK households could be in fuel poverty from October
National Energy Action has projected that 8.2 million UK households, one in three, could be in fuel poverty from October if the price cap takes average annual bills to £3,250.
Ember analysis attributes 80% of UK wholesale electricity price rise to fossil gas
Ember analysis finds fossil gas caused 80 per cent of the rise in UK wholesale electricity prices between July 2021 and June 2022, with gas adding £93/MWh to a £120/MWh increase.
JRF publishes energy price analysis of July 2022 price cap
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a briefing on the July 2022 Ofgem price cap and new Cornwall Insight forecasts, setting out what low and middle income families are expected to spend on gas and electricity.
Energy price crisis drives record UK solar deployment in first half of 2022
Solar Energy UK reports 556MW of solar capacity connected across all scales in the first half of 2022, with residential rooftop installations in six months already exceeding the whole of 2021.
NEA publishes Impact Report for April 2021 to March 2022
National Energy Action has published an impact report for April 2021 to March 2022, saying more than 6.5 million UK households were in fuel poverty after the 1 April price cap rise.
UK renewables auction secures 11 GW at record low prices
The UK's seventh contracts for difference auction on 7 July 2022 secured 11 GW of renewable capacity at the lowest wind and solar prices recorded, according to the energy think tank Ember.
- June 2022
Average bill estimates published for UK households
Energy Helpline has published estimated annual and monthly gas and electricity bills for UK homes using June 2022 prices, putting a three-bed home at £1,793.21 a year and a one to two bedroom home at £1,178.16.
- May 2022
Ofgem chief tells MPs October price cap likely to rise to about £2,800
Ofgem's chief executive told MPs the household energy price cap is likely to rise to about £2,800 in October, an increase of roughly £800 on the level then in force.
UK inflation reaches 9.1%, highest in 40 years, driven largely by energy prices
UK inflation reached 9.1% in the year to May 2022, the highest for 40 years, with energy prices contributing 3.2 percentage points for fossil fuel households and 2.3 for all-electric homes.
- April 2022
New Welsh Government estimates show up to 45% of Welsh households in fuel poverty
New official Welsh Government estimates show up to 45% of households in Wales are likely to be in fuel poverty, with 115,000 households in severe fuel poverty, according to National Energy Action.
Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive closes to new applicants
Ofgem has closed the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive to new applicants after eight years, with existing members continuing to receive payments for up to seven years.
Over 6.3 million homes to be in fuel poverty from 1 April 2022
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimates more than 6.3 million homes will be in fuel poverty from 1 April 2022, with 2.2 million of them households containing dependent children.
- March 2022
Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive closes
The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive closed to new applicants on 31 March 2022, though accreditations have continued since, mainly through transfer of ownership applications.
ECO3 scheme closes with 16 of 26 obligated suppliers still operating
Ofgem's final determination for the Energy Company Obligation 3 scheme shows ten of 26 obligated suppliers left the market during its run, leaving a £135 million shortfall covered by others.
- February 2022
UK Government releases new fuel poverty statistics for England
Government figures show 3.16 million English households in fuel poverty in 2020, and the charity National Energy Action warns current progress would take over 60 years to meet statutory targets.
Investec Bank Ltd estimates October 2022 price cap could exceed £3,000 per household
Investec Bank Ltd estimated on 24 February 2022 that the October price cap could rise another 50% to more than £3,000 per household, prompting charity warnings on fuel poverty.
27 energy retail companies had exited the market since August 2021
Energy UK reports that 27 energy retail companies have left the market since August 2021, affecting almost 2.3 million households, with supplier of last resort costs of around £2.6 billion to date.
UK Government releases new fuel poverty statistics for England
New government fuel poverty statistics for England show a lack of progress towards statutory commitments, with charities warning it will take over 60 years to meet them.