Politics · 18 August 2026

Britain could face winter heating shortages next decade as offshore reserves dry up

An official review warns that a long cold snap might leave households without heating by the end of the decade as North Sea reserves dry up. To stop this happening, ministers are now thinking about paying companies directly to keep ageing pipelines and storage sites running. Gas still provided over a third of the country's energy last year, and domestic production is dropping by about 5% annually.

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