Why is my energy bill so high?

Why is my energy bill so high?

From Academy of Ideas by academyofideas

April 10, 2026 · 1h 13m · Episode 315

About this episode

Experts discuss the reasons behind high energy bills amidst geopolitical tensions and market dynamics.

The war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have focused attention on skyrocketing energy prices, leading to demands to encourage more output from the North Sea and causing travel chaos in Ireland. But bills were already high before this happened. This discussion with three experts, recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 at Church House in London, explains why - war or no war - we're all paying too much for energy. ORIGINAL FESTIVAL INTRODUCTION Heating or eating? That has become a burning question for many people. From struggling households to steel works and factories, energy prices remain a hot topic. Ed Miliband’s assurance that bills would fall by £300 per year looks wildly optimistic. The cost of energy bills became a major political issue when a combination of a post-pandemic resurgence of the world economy and war in Ukraine sent the price of energy in general, and natural gas in particular, shooting up. Prices have come down a lot since then, but remain higher than before. The Ofgem energy price cap for a ‘typical household’ increased from £1,137 per year in January 2019 to £1,720 in July 2025 – a rise of over 50 per cent. Supporters of renewable…

Topics covered

  • energy prices
  • political issues
  • renewable energy
  • economic impact
  • household bills
  • global market

Keywords

  • energy bills
  • North Sea
  • Ofgem
  • gas prices
  • renewable energy
  • political issues
  • household expenses

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ofgem

Places: Iran, Strait of Hormuz, North Sea, Ireland, London

More episodes of Academy of Ideas

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Academy of Ideas podcast page.