Benjamin Reid
@drbenjaminreid.bsky.social
Science, Technology, Innovation, Leadership policy pro. Former Tech and Innovation Director at the the UK Confederation of British Industry, and Head of International @nestauk.bsky.social, the UK's global innovation foundation.
Reposted by Benjamin Reid
The pre-Budget messaging on climate policy has been so confusing.
Extra money for EV subsidies, but a pay-per-mile charge that doesn’t hit fossil fuel cars? Limiting cycle-to-work schemes?
Maybe slash fuel poverty funding, maybe cut heat pump subsidies?
It has made the industry very nervous.
Extra money for EV subsidies, but a pay-per-mile charge that doesn’t hit fossil fuel cars? Limiting cycle-to-work schemes?
Maybe slash fuel poverty funding, maybe cut heat pump subsidies?
It has made the industry very nervous.
Reeves to announce £1.5bn boost in EV subsidies amid pay-per-mile concerns
Reeves to announce £1.5bn boost in EV subsidies amid pay-per-mile concerns
Industry experts welcome extra incentives but fear a consultation on a mileage tax sends mixed messages
Drivers will be able to claim government subsidies to cut the cost of buying a new electric car until 2030 under plans to be announced by Rachel Reeves at next week’s budget.
The chancellor will unveil an extra £1.3bn for subsidies for new electric vehicles (EVs) and a further £200m for charging points, as she attempts to prevent the market for clean cars drying up amid concerns about a new pay-per-mile tax. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:55 AM
The pre-Budget messaging on climate policy has been so confusing.
Extra money for EV subsidies, but a pay-per-mile charge that doesn’t hit fossil fuel cars? Limiting cycle-to-work schemes?
Maybe slash fuel poverty funding, maybe cut heat pump subsidies?
It has made the industry very nervous.
Extra money for EV subsidies, but a pay-per-mile charge that doesn’t hit fossil fuel cars? Limiting cycle-to-work schemes?
Maybe slash fuel poverty funding, maybe cut heat pump subsidies?
It has made the industry very nervous.
🤦♂️
The public think people arriving by small boats make up not only the largest share of asylum seekers, but the largest share of *all* immigrants. In fact, it's just 4% of the total number, write @bobbyduffy.bsky.social & @elielcohen.bsky.social
➡️ blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsand...
➡️ blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsand...
November 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM
🤦♂️
Reposted by Benjamin Reid
I think part of this story (on eligibility for heat pump grants) is likely to be nonsense - I'll explain in a thread below.
But it is clear that the Treasury wants to abolish the ECO levy, which funds upgrades for fuel poor homes. This would be a serious mistake
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
But it is clear that the Treasury wants to abolish the ECO levy, which funds upgrades for fuel poor homes. This would be a serious mistake
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Hundreds of thousands to lose heat pump subsidies in Reeves’s budget plan
Exclusive: Supporters say grants largely going to middle-class households, but experts warn move will slow transition from gas boilers
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I think part of this story (on eligibility for heat pump grants) is likely to be nonsense - I'll explain in a thread below.
But it is clear that the Treasury wants to abolish the ECO levy, which funds upgrades for fuel poor homes. This would be a serious mistake
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
But it is clear that the Treasury wants to abolish the ECO levy, which funds upgrades for fuel poor homes. This would be a serious mistake
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Benjamin Reid
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The value of public R&D
www.gov.uk
October 30, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Benjamin Reid
Slight problem with these headlines in that the report literally recommends keeping the clean power target. institute.global/insights/cli...
October 23, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Slight problem with these headlines in that the report literally recommends keeping the clean power target. institute.global/insights/cli...
Reposted by Benjamin Reid
Now then!
“…the government could intervene to bring down energy bills, for example, by cutting the current 5% rate of VAT charged on energy.
Another option is to reduce some of the regulatory levies currently added to bills.”
“…the government could intervene to bring down energy bills, for example, by cutting the current 5% rate of VAT charged on energy.
Another option is to reduce some of the regulatory levies currently added to bills.”
Rachel Reeves plans 'targeted action' on bills in Budget
The chancellor is planning moves to help households with the cost of living in the Budget.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Now then!
“…the government could intervene to bring down energy bills, for example, by cutting the current 5% rate of VAT charged on energy.
Another option is to reduce some of the regulatory levies currently added to bills.”
“…the government could intervene to bring down energy bills, for example, by cutting the current 5% rate of VAT charged on energy.
Another option is to reduce some of the regulatory levies currently added to bills.”
Reposted by Benjamin Reid
The long-awaited Warm Homes plan is expected to launch in October, and it will be one of the government’s most important and challenging policy plans.
A new blog by Nesta's @acjsissons.bsky.social outlines the 7 tests the plan must meet to tackle fuel poverty, energy bills and decarbonisation:
A new blog by Nesta's @acjsissons.bsky.social outlines the 7 tests the plan must meet to tackle fuel poverty, energy bills and decarbonisation:
Seven tests for the government’s Warm Homes plan
Accelerating the switch from gas to electricity, make electricity cheaper, and balancing electrification with insulation are key policies that could reduce bills and carbon emissions for households
www.nesta.org.uk
October 3, 2025 at 9:00 AM
The long-awaited Warm Homes plan is expected to launch in October, and it will be one of the government’s most important and challenging policy plans.
A new blog by Nesta's @acjsissons.bsky.social outlines the 7 tests the plan must meet to tackle fuel poverty, energy bills and decarbonisation:
A new blog by Nesta's @acjsissons.bsky.social outlines the 7 tests the plan must meet to tackle fuel poverty, energy bills and decarbonisation:
Reposted by Benjamin Reid
I know this is a futile exercise, but let’s count the mistakes in that one Payne paragraph…
1. “Renewables are no longer the cheapest form of energy” - don’t think so. Offshore wind has got more expensive recently, but onshore and solar remain cheap. And gas probably still costs more than offshore
1. “Renewables are no longer the cheapest form of energy” - don’t think so. Offshore wind has got more expensive recently, but onshore and solar remain cheap. And gas probably still costs more than offshore
A question for Times columnist Sebastian Payne:
What is this cheaper source of "energy" that you speak of?
The world's energy experts would like to know…
What is this cheaper source of "energy" that you speak of?
The world's energy experts would like to know…
October 3, 2025 at 8:11 AM
I know this is a futile exercise, but let’s count the mistakes in that one Payne paragraph…
1. “Renewables are no longer the cheapest form of energy” - don’t think so. Offshore wind has got more expensive recently, but onshore and solar remain cheap. And gas probably still costs more than offshore
1. “Renewables are no longer the cheapest form of energy” - don’t think so. Offshore wind has got more expensive recently, but onshore and solar remain cheap. And gas probably still costs more than offshore
Reposted by Benjamin Reid
OK, some more considered thoughts on the Industrial Strategy published on Monday and my comment on it.
The first, inescapable point to make about this thing is that it is *huge*. Not "Bidenomics" huge, which translated to £ would have meant £100bns. But in detail 1/
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The first, inescapable point to make about this thing is that it is *huge*. Not "Bidenomics" huge, which translated to £ would have meant £100bns. But in detail 1/
www.gov.uk/government/p...
June 26, 2025 at 5:40 PM
OK, some more considered thoughts on the Industrial Strategy published on Monday and my comment on it.
The first, inescapable point to make about this thing is that it is *huge*. Not "Bidenomics" huge, which translated to £ would have meant £100bns. But in detail 1/
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The first, inescapable point to make about this thing is that it is *huge*. Not "Bidenomics" huge, which translated to £ would have meant £100bns. But in detail 1/
www.gov.uk/government/p...