Plaid Cymru Members of Parliament, Liz Saville Roberts, and Llinos Medi are demanding urgent reform to protect rural communities as figures reveal that people in Gwynedd and Ynys Môn are paying the highest electricity standing charges in the UK.
According to Ofgem’s latest figures, people living in north Wales are paying a daily rate of 69.95 pence. This amounts to £255.32 per year, significantly more than the £53.70 daily average across the UK, and over £100 more annually than households in London.
These figures confirm that Gwynedd and Ynys Môn residents, along with others across north Wales, are disproportionately affected by the current pricing structure compared to urban counterparts.
A report published this week by the House of Commons Energy and Net Zero Committee identified the ‘inherent unfairness of the existing arrangement of standing charges’.
Mrs Saville Roberts and Ms Medi are calling on the UK government to review the standing charge structure, introduce regional fairness in energy pricing, and ensure rural and economically disadvantaged communities aren’t disproportionately penalised.
Standing charges are fixed daily costs applied to energy bills regardless of usage. They cover things such as infrastructure maintenance and meter readings. Ofgem sets regional caps, but suppliers often charge the maximum, especially in rural areas like Gwynedd and Ynys Môn where distribution costs are higher.
Liz Saville Roberts MP said:
It is indefensible that families in north Wales, many of whom live in older, poorly insulated homes and face lower average incomes, are being penalised simply because of where they live. People in North Wales pay the highest standing charges on energy bills despite having lower average incomes and living in older, poorly insulated houses. These figures underline the precarious situation facing households struggling with their energy bills with potentially serious consequences for people left without electricity or heating, particularly the elderly and vulnerable. Householders living in rural northwest Wales are being hammered on two fronts - forced to pay extortionate energy bills whilst taking home a pay packet well below the national average at a time when incomes are being squeezed like never before. In communities across Gwynedd, I’m hearing from families who are doing everything they can to cut back yet still face rising bills. We need urgent action to protect our communities from being priced out of basic energy access. To rub salt in the wound, Wales is a net exporter of energy with the capacity to generate even more through wind, tidal and solar. Yet we are reaping very little benefit, with distribution costs across the UK unequal. I’m calling on the UK Government and Ofgem to act now. Gwynedd families should not be punished for living in rural communities. We need a fairer energy pricing system that reflects the realities of life here.’
Llinos Medi MP said:
In Ynys Môn and across north Wales, families are being hit hard by standing charges that make no allowance for income levels or energy usage.These fixed costs are especially punishing for pensioners, single-parent households, and those living in older homes that are difficult to insulate. Communities like mine in Ynys Môn host major energy infrastructure and contribute significantly to the UK’s electricity supply, yet we see little benefit in return. Instead, we face some of the highest standing charges in the country. This is not just a technical issue; it’s a matter of fairness. An estimated 340,000 households in Wales are living in fuel poverty, and standing charges are a contributory factor. These charges don’t reflect our contribution to the UK’s energy supply, nor do they account for the economic pressures facing rural households. We need a step change in the energy system - one that delivers real benefits to the communities that power the grid.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Image: Liz Saville Roberts MP and Llinos Medi MP.
Annual Standing Charge Cost:
North Wales and Merseyside - £255.32
Scotland (Northern) - £231.59
Scotland (Southern) - £223.38
South Wales - £219.37
Northeast - £212.07
East Midlands - £196.01
Southeast - £182.16
London - £139.80