The UK is heading into winter with the lowest level of gas stores since records began, prompting fears that there could be shortages as demand increases during the colder months.
Chris O’Shea, the head of British Gas‘s parent company Centrica – which also runs Britain’s largest storage facility – said it should be a “huge concern” that the country has “almost no gas storage“.
Britain’s gas stores are at 30 per cent capacity this week, compared to 46 per cent this time last year and 90 per cent two years ago.
This comes as energy prices are due to rise by 4 per cent from October but may increase even further next year unless the war in Iran is resolved.
Experts told The i Paper that while the UK is some way off running out of fuel, the knock-on effects of global markets as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have left the country more vulnerable than ever.
This autumn, the Network Emergency Co-ordinator will test various scenarios that could take place if there is a gas crisis, including rationing, although that would be a worst-case event.
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The latest as extra police deployed to Middlesbrough
Hundreds of extra police officers have been drafted in after a series of deadly incidents in Middlesbrough.
Caption: Police officers at the scene on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, where Valentina Foster, aged seven, and Natalie McDonald, 34, died following a fire at an end-of-terrace property on Wednesday morning. Police are not ruling out a possible link between the fatal house fire and a crash on the A66 less than two miles away that killed seven people. Picture date: Thursday August 27, 2026. PA Photo. Cleveland Police said two men, aged 23 and 31, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and they remain in police custody following the fire. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire
Photographer: Owen Humphreys
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Series of violent incidents
A spate of violent incidents has occurred in Middlesbrough in recent days:
- On Saturday, a head-on car crash killed two police officers and five young men.
- On Wednesday, a house fire claimed the lives of a seven-year-old girl and her aunt.
- Other reported incidents have included a stabbing and properties being rammed by cars.
- Videos shared on social media appeared to show several cars on fire at a vigil on Thursday night for one of the men killed in the crash.
Multiple blazes
The house fire in Grangetown, east of Middlesbrough, on Wednesday killed Natalie McDonald, 34, and seven-year-old Valentina Foster and injured four others.
Caption: MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 26: Extensive damage is seen at the scene of a house fire on August 26, 2026 in Middlesbrough, England. Cleveland Police have launched a murder investigation after a fatal house fire in Grangetown, Middlesbrough, left two people dead and four others hospitalised in the early hours of Wednesday, 26 August 2026. Investigators have stated they are keeping an open mind and cannot rule out links to wider organised crime. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
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Caption: GVs of a field at Haswell, County Durham, where cars were torched at a memorial event for Michael Cahill, one of the men who died in the VW Passat in the A66 crash. Picture date: Friday August 28, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Tom Wilkinson/PA Wire
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On Thursday evening, videos shared on social media seemingly showed several cars on fire in Haswell, County Durham, at a vigil where balloons were released in tribute to one of the men killed in the A66 crash.
Investigations ongoing
- Local police have not ruled out a link between the crash and the fatal house fire.
- Several arrests following the crash are reportedly part of investigations into alleged organised crime.
- Meanwhile, two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the house fire.
5 min read
Car torching ‘unacceptable’
Meanwhile, Durham Constabulary said the behaviour of the crowd who set fire to a number of cars was “completely unacceptable”.
Police were called out to a private field shortly after 5.30pm on Thursday, where five vehicles were wrecked as a large crowd gathered to release balloons, flares, and fireworks.
Nobody was injured and the officers deemed it safest to let the vehicles burn-out. No arrests were made in connection with that incident.
Caption: GVs of a field at Haswell, County Durham, where cars were torched at a memorial event for Michael Cahill, one of the men who died in the VW Passat in the A66 crash. Picture date: Friday August 28, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Tom Wilkinson/PA Wire
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Watch more from The i Paper
Cars have reportedly been set on fire in Peterlee in a vigil for a man who lost his life in the tragic A66 crash. The incident took place at the site of a balloon release thought to be a tribute to one of the victims, Michael Robert Cahill. Cahill, 23, died in the motorway crash last weekend near Middlesbrough alongside four other civilians and two police officers. #News #UK #middlesbrough
200 extra officers on the ground
Amid the incidents, which local MP Andy McDonald described as “terrorism”, councillors revealed 200 extra police officers from forces including the National Crime Agency were helping under-pressure Cleveland Police staff with investigations.
Caption: Police officers at the scene on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, where Valentina Foster, aged seven, and Natalie McDonald, 34, died following a fire at an end-of-terrace property on Wednesday morning. Police are not ruling out a possible link between the fatal house fire and a crash on the A66 less than two miles away that killed seven people. Picture date: Thursday August 27, 2026. PA Photo. Cleveland Police said two men, aged 23 and 31, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and they remain in police custody following the fire. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire
Photographer: Owen Humphreys
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4 min read
‘This is terrorism’
People are saying they are going to their shops and not feeling safe to do so and feeling trapped in their own homes. That is just unacceptable. This is terrorism and we’ve got to have an appropriate response to deal with the people who are causing such mayhem in our communities and to allow people to lead their peaceful lives.
andy mcdonald, labour mp for middlesbrough and thornaby east
WEATHER NEWS
Where heavy rain and thunderstorms could hit
Caption: It’s raining heavily, wearing an umbrella during the rainy season
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Thunderstorms and heavy rain could hit large parts of the country over the bank holiday weekend, forecasters have warned.
New weather warning
A new yellow warning has been issued by the Met Office for heavy showers and thunderstorms which could cause travel disruption and flooding across much of England and Wales.
The warning, in place from midday until 9pm on Friday, means flooding of some homes and businesses is likely, trains may be delayed and car journeys may take longer.
Analysis
2 min read
Big Read
5 min read
Where could be affected?
- The thunderstorm warning covers most of Wales plus southwestern and northwestern England and both the East and West Midlands.
- Yorkshire and Humber could also be affected, as could much of eastern and central England, as well as London.
- Thunderstorms will bring 10-20mm of short-lived rain in a few places with the potential for 30-40mm where there are repeated downpours, the Met Office said.
Fresh flood alerts
Meanwhile, fresh flood warnings and alerts have been issued after dozens of homes were damaged by flood water following widespread drought conditions.
Caption: YORK, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 10: An general view of the River Ouse and water flooding riverside properties on December 10, 2025 in York, England. Flood warnings were issued on Tuesday along the River Ouse and River Derwent, where water levels were already high in the flood-prone region before the arrival of Storm Bram brought additional rainfall. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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Caption: Heavy rain fall in Cambridge today. Many parts of southern England expected to get some heavy rain fall with some areas experiencing some flooding. Photo released 27/08/2026
Photographer: James Linsell Clark / SWNS
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As of Friday lunchtime, there was a warning for expected flooding at Walverden Water at Nelson, Lancashire, while 10 areas were covered by Environment Agency flood alerts, meaning floods are possible.
An unsettled weekend
- The unsettled weather is set to continue through Monday.
- Some sunny spells are expected to be mixed with more heavy rain and possible thunderstorms.
- Fresh westerly winds will also make it feel blustery.
- Scotland is likely to be wettest on Monday while England and Wales can expect some sun and showers.
Explained
2 min read
ENERGY NEWS
Currys and Wickes join plug-in solar roll-out
Caption: Engineer plugging in laptop cable wire to solar panels
Photographer: Westend61
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The price of plug-in solar panels is expected to drop to under £600 in the weeks ahead, with more retailers beginning to sell the renewables kits.
First steps
British company UKSOL, selling its one-panel kit for £699, has become the first supplier to meet regulatory compliance for the devices.
with a decent chance of seeing the seventh heatwave of the year in early September there is still time to start making any outlay back
(Photo: Sunphol Sorakul/Getty Images/Moment RF)
The Government estimates that a typical UK home could save £70 to £110 a year on their energy bills from plug-in solar
(Photo: Nikola Stojadinovic/Getty Images/E+)
The 460W panels are on sale through Argos and builders’ merchant City Plumbing, with more retailers expected to follow after new rules allowing sales of plug-in solar products in the UK came into force on Thursday.
Wickes and Currys join solar rush
Wickes said it would be making plug-in solar available to its customers “in the coming weeks” while Currys said it was working to make these products “available to UK households as soon as possible, including through both our website and larger stores”.
Lidl, Asda, B&Q, Screwfix and Amazon have all expressed interest in the self-install kits but are yet to offer an update on their release.
3 min read
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Price drops to come
- UKSOL said pre-orders were in the “low thousands” for its £699 single-panel kit and £999 two-panel kits.
- The company plans to launch four more models in October.
- This will include a slightly cheaper single-panel kit, priced from £599.
- The Government expects single-panel kits to “settle” between £400 and £600 as retailers roll them out.
3 min read
Watch more from The i Paper
Could plug-in solar panels cut hundreds of pounds off your energy bills? Self-install solar kits that plug directly into a standard UK three-pin socket are now going on sale for around £699, after new regulations came into force. The Government estimates households could save £70 to £110 a year, but one early adopter told The i Paper he’s on course to save more than £300. Read more about how plug-in solar works and how much you could save at the link above. #News #EnergyBills #UKPolitics #SolarEnergy #SolarPanels
GAMING NEWS
Rockstar releases GTA VI preview
Caption: GTA VI website dislplayed on a screen and PlayStation DualSense controller are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on July 1, 2026. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Gaming fans have been given a fresh look at the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI, with 26 minutes of new footage released by the franchise’s producer, Rockstar Games.
‘Extended look’ now live
- The “extended look” debuted on Netflix on Thursday evening.
- Six hours later, it was released by Rockstar Games on YouTube.
- It comes more than 18 months after the last official teaser trailer.
Dual protagonists
New footage featured sprawling cityscapes, gun battles and high-speed pursuits while offering a glimpse of the game’s new graphics and world-building.
Caption: This handout courtesy of Rockstar Games taken on December 4, 2023 shows a video grab of the trailer of “Grand Theft Auto 6” video game. The first trailer for “Grand Theft Auto VI” was officially released ahead of schedule December 4, 2023 due to a leak, touting a 2025 release for the next chapter of the massively successful video game franchise. (Photo by Rockstar Games / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / Rockstar Games” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (Photo by -/Rockstar Games/AFP via Getty Images)
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Caption: CANADA – 2026/08/25: In this photo illustration, the Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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Grand Theft Auto VI follows protagonists Jason Duval and Lucia Camino, who become increasingly embroiled in a criminal conspiracy in the fictional state of Leonida.
What else to expect
- The preview showed the couple fighting their way out of a drug pick-up after a police raid.
- Vice City, which featured in previous editions of the series, also reappears in GTA VI.
- Meanwhile, players’ actions can reportedly control how the characters’ story unfolds.
4 min read
No word yet on GTA Online
The footage illustrated GTA VI’s new and improved graphics, worthy of a game with a budget reportedly among the most expensive in video game history.
Rockstar, however, has yet to release details about GTA Online, having previously confirmed the game would launch initially as a “single-player experience”.
Caption: EDINBURGH,SCOTLAND – AUGUST 27: A general view of The Rockstar North building in Edinburgh, the company behind the Grand Theft Auto video games, on August 27, 2026 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photographer: Jeff J Mitchell
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The Man I Am
5 min read
Improved graphics in GTA VI
Not long to wait now…
Pre-orders for the long-awaited game, which will be the popular franchise’s first instalment since 2013, began on 25 June.
GTA VI is set to be available on Xbox and PlayStation consoles with a planned release date of 19 November, having been delayed on a number of occasions.
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3 min read
Four things to know as death toll from Nepal flash flood rises
Hundreds of people have died following flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet, while search and rescue operations for the many who remain missing are proving difficult.
Caption: A drone view of firefighters conducting search and rescue operations at a damaged road leading to Gyirong Port after a mudslide, in Gyirong county, Shigatse, Tibet Autonomous Region, China August 28, 2026. cnsphoto via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. CHINA OUT. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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What caused the flooding?
A collapsed glacier near the border between Nepal and China’s autonomous region of Tibet on Wednesday resulted in a huge flood wave that surged through the region, bursting rivers banks, covering populated areas in thick mud, destroying houses and roads and blocking a key border crossing.
4 min read
Big Read
5 min read
Hundreds of casualties
- Nepal Police confirmed on Friday that at least 547 people have died.
- Hundreds have been rescued but some 1,500 more people remain unaccounted for across Nepal and Tibet, authorities said.
- Among the missing are 33 British nationals, including children.
- Nepal’s government has released a list of over 537 foreign nationals who have been out of contact since the floods hit.
Watch more from The i Paper
New footage has emerged from Nepal after the Prime Minister’s Office released a video of rescuers carrying out workers out of the mud filled tunnel of a hydropower project in Rasuwa. It has been more than two days since the flash flooding hit Nepal, which has seen the death toll rise to more than 400, with more than 1,500 people still missing. #News #Nepal #flashfloods
Second flood risks
Caption: This aerial image released on the Chinese social media platform Weibo account of the Lhasa Mobile Fire and Rescue Service on August 27, 2026, shows a barrier lake which formed after a landslide near where Nepal’s Chhochen Khola River flows into the Purepu Tsangpo River, in Gyirong county, in China’s Tibet region. A lake created after a mudslide hit the China-Nepal border faces a “high risk of breaching and sending floodwaters downstream”, Chinese state media reported on August 28, citing water authorities. The lake formed after a wall of mud and debris hit the border hub of Gyirong in Tibet on August 26, with hundreds reported missing. (Photo by Lhasa Mobile Fire and Rescue Detachment / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / Lhasa Mobile Fire and Rescue Detachment” – HANDOUT – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
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- Rescue operations have been hindered by fears of a second flood.
- A new barrier lake at the flood site began to overflow on Friday, temporarily halting efforts.
6 min read
Watch more from The i Paper
UK offers support
- The UK has offered £5m to help the Nepalese government.
- Andy Burnham also offered for emergency responders to head to the affected region.
- The Prime Minister described the situation as “very distressing and devastating”.
3 min read
Devastating floods
Caption: NUWAKOT, NEPAL- AUGUST 27: Earthmovers clear debris from Trishuli Bazaar in Nuwakot district, Nepal, on August 27, 2026, following devastating flash floods near the Nepal??”Tibet border. The sudden surge of water, mud and debris swept through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems, destroying homes, vehicles, roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Rescue and recovery operations are underway as authorities continue searching for survivors and people reported missing in the disaster. (Photo by Sunil Pradhan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Caption: A vehicle is seen in the aftermath of flash floods in Devighat in the Nuwakot district in Nepal, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
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Copyright: Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Caption: People work to clear the debris around their houses following flash floods and a mudslide in Trishuli, Nuwakot district, Nepal, August 28, 2026. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar
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Caption: EMBARGOED TO 1000 THURSDAY JULY 30
File photo dated 06/11/10 of a general view of an NHS logo. Health officials should set up a new system so NHS staff can anonymously blow the whistle on medics accused of sexual misconduct, leading doctors have said. The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) said that many workers “remain reluctant” to report sexual misconduct due to fear of repercussions. Issue date: Thursday July 30, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
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How NHS spending on ADHD and autism has risen tenfold
Cuts to meet demand
A report by the NHS Alliance, which represents health trusts and hospitals, examined increased spending on ADHD and autism services across 42 regional NHS integrated care boards (ICBs) in England.
It found the uptick in funding required to meet soaring demand for ADHD diagnoses was forcing some NHS boards to cut crucial care in other areas to balance budgets.
5 min read
Explained
2 min read
Some of the numbers
- One region saw a tenfold spending increase from 2024-25 to 2025-26, from £1.75m to £18m.
- In another region, spend on adult ADHD services went from £11m in 2023-24 to £38m in 2024-25.
- For the 2026-27 financial year, this is projected to rise to £51m.
What’s behind increased spending?
Under the Right to Choose initiative, the 800,000 people on NHS waiting lists for an ADHD assessment in England, have a legal right to NHS-funded private assessments.
Caption: File photo dated 03/10/14 of a hospital ward. NHS staff have been called “monkeys” and patients have refused to be treated by non-white staff amid a reported rise in racism across the health service, experts have said. The Society of Radiographers (SoR) said staff have reported a “noticeable” rise in racism from patients over the last 18 months, including patients calling staff “dirty foreigners” and talking about “people coming over here, taking our jobs”. Issue date: Tuesday August 4, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire
Photographer: Peter Byrne
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Caption: Hands holding brain with ADHD, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental disorder concept
Photographer: Sewcream
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The NHS paid for 100,000 private ADHD assessments via the initiative last year, contributing to the steep rise in spending.
‘Huge’ fee variation
- There are also “huge variations in the prices paid for services”.
- The NHS Alliance report found assessment fees ranging from £300 to £3,000.
- This possibility for profit has in turn caused a dramatic increase in private ADHD providers.
5 min read
Watch more from The i Paper
Opinion | “Fundamentally, ADHD assessments rely heavily on observable childhood behaviour,” writes Poppy Jay. “But there was no way on God’s green Earth that I, Poppy Jay, could afford to be disruptive. I would have come home to a cane, a slap or whatever object happened to be nearest. Usually a trainer, expertly lobbed at my face.” Read Poppy Jay’s full piece on @theipaper website. adhd #neurodivergent
Why is gas storage so low?
Britain has always had smaller capacity for gas storage than our European counterparts, preferring to rely on short-term capacity that can be filled up and withdrawn from quickly.
Storage is not funded by the Government, so energy companies will only top up their supplies if it will make them a profit – if they can buy gas cheaply with a view to selling it off later at a higher price point.
The UK has approximately eight gas storage sites and typically has a much lower maximum capacity than France, Germany and Netherlands. A large portion of Britain’s gas supply is imported from Norway with lesser amounts coming from the US, Algeria and Qatar.
Amid record gas prices this summer as a result of the USA/Israel-Iran war – which halted production of Qatari liquid natural gas (LNG) supplies for several months, it was deemed too expensive to buy gas for storage.
Even European countries, which rely more heavily than the UK on storage, did not top up as much as usual.
“The very high gas price this summer has meant that they’ve been very hesitant to buy expensive gas and put it into storage in Europe, fearing that the gas price come December, January time might be low and they’d lose money,” said Professor Michael Bradshaw, of the UK Energy Research Centre and Warwick Business School.
What would happen if the UK ran out of gas?
Every year, the Network Emergency Co-ordinator runs a test scenario for what would happen if the UK ran out of gas. Their next test is due in early October.
A state of emergency would be likely to trigger notifications sent to mobile phones – similar to the one received during the summer wildfires – telling people to reduce their energy consumption.
The Government would seek to encourage “major consumers” such as factories to close down over the winter, possibly providing financial incentives.
There would be diplomatic negotiations with European leaders on how to share gas, with the possibility of international rationing rather than price-driven markets.
In an extremely severe situation, European nations could stop the flow of gas through interconnectors if their own supplies are running low, but this is unlikely because of the damage it would do to future trade relations.
A National Gas spokesperson said: “Our recently published Summer Outlook highlighted that there is a sufficient supply of gas to meet demand and we have no concerns about current storage levels.”
Responding to the warning from O’ Shea, they added: “Britain continues to benefit from a diverse range of supply sources, of which storage is only one component and should be considered alongside domestic production, imports, LNG and interconnectors. This interpretation of current storage levels does not fully reflect how Britain’s gas system operates and risks causing unnecessary concern for consumers.
“As the gas system operator, our outlooks have consistently shown that, in some circumstances, supply margins are becoming tighter due to relatively stable peak gas demand levels, declining domestic production, limited LNG capacity and a difficult commercial environment for storage operators and interconnectors.”
How could Trump affect UK gas?
The comments by Centrica’s Chris O’Shea’s were prompted by a call from Norway’s energy minister for European countries to develop their own energy sources, suggesting they might not always be able to rely on his country.
Norway is the UK’s largest gas supplier, providing more than 40 per cent. Adam Bell, partner at consultancy Stonehaven and a former head of energy strategy in the government, said he did not think they Oslo was at risk of shutting off supply as they would then have “more gas than they could ever use”.
A much bigger risk, in his view, is the 15 per cent of gas that Britain import from the US.
Donald Trump listens as a reporter asks a question in the Oval Office of the White House (Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)
“We assume this winter, we can rely upon American energy,” said Bell. “If we can’t rely upon the American energy for whatever reason… then we would be very much in trouble.”
He added that there is a risk Donald Trump could ban exports of liquid natural gas in a bid to boost domestic popularity before the US midterm elections next month.
“If he does that, then I think you can assume the [UK] Government would need to go into emergency mode a couple of times over the winter,” Bell said.
How would a supply crisis hit bills?
Bell is less worried about storage than about further price rises over the winter. “We’re almost certainly not going to physically run out of gas, but we should assume it’s going to be expensive,” he said.
Bradshaw agreed, predicting that the energy price cap will rise again when it is set at the beginning of next year.
“When they reset it again in January, it will be based on what has happened to the price between October and the end of December,” he explained, and the “panic” over the lack of storage could drive prices up, meaning the cap would be raised.
“Domestic demand is very weather-sensitive. If we have a cold winter, and Europe has a cold winter, they’ll have to drawn down on that storage,” he added.
A cold snap after Christmas would mean a “double whammy” for consumers, with higher energy usage combining with higher prices to make bills skyrocket.
Ofgem has said October’s cap is equivalent to £1,723 a year for a typical household’s gas and electricity use, up from £1,663 from July to September period.
Energy consultancy Cornwall insight is already predicting that the cap will rise a further £149 a year in January, putting the an average annual bill at £1,872.