UK Energy Polling 2026: 71% Worried About Bills, 61% Back Net Zero
71% of UK voters are worried about energy bill affordability. Net zero by 2050: 61% support it — but Reform voters oppose it by 71%. Onshore wind: 68% in favour. Nuclear power: 54% support. North Sea oil and gas: 48% want it to continue, with Reform voters at 82%.
Which Party Do Voters Trust on Energy & Climate?
Labour clear lead on climatePolling question: “Which party do you trust most to handle energy and climate?” Source: composite of YouGov, Ipsos, Redfield & Wilton, May 2026.
Net Zero 2050: Support by Party Affiliation
Sharp partisan divideSource: YouGov/Redfield & Wilton composite, May 2026. Net zero = UK reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. Reform UK voters oppose it by 71% vs 22% support — the starkest partisan gap on any energy issue.
Energy Policy: Public Support vs. Opposition
North Sea Oil and Gas: Continue or Phase Out?
Splits 48% vs 37%All voters. Backed by energy security and jobs arguments. Reform UK voters are by far the strongest supporters at 82% — the highest on any single energy policy.
Phase out North Sea oil and gas. Dominated by Green and younger Labour voters. The Greens back an immediate halt; Labour has banned new North Sea licences while managing existing ones.
The highest cross-party support figure on any energy policy. Reform UK’s “drill baby drill” equivalent position is one of its most distinctively popular stances among its own voters.
Energy Bill Price Cap: Quarterly Average (£/year)
Source: Ofgem price cap data. Typical dual-fuel household. Despite falling from the £3,549 Q3 2022 peak, bills in early 2026 remain approximately 60% above pre-crisis 2021 levels, explaining the 71% who say affordability remains a concern.
Polling Data Table
| Issue | Finding | Date | Pollster | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worried about energy bill affordability | 71% | Apr 2026 | Ipsos | 1,836 |
| Support net zero by 2050 | 61% support | Apr 2026 | YouGov | 2,041 |
| Reform voters oppose net zero | 71% oppose | Mar 2026 | Redfield & Wilton | 1,500 |
| Support onshore wind expansion | 68% support | Mar 2026 | YouGov | 2,100 |
| Support nuclear power expansion | 54% support | Jan 2026 | Ipsos | 1,640 |
| Continue North Sea extraction (all voters) | 48% continue / 37% phase out | Feb 2026 | Survation | 1,520 |
| Reform UK: continue North Sea | 82% support continuation | Feb 2026 | Survation | Reform subsample |
| Insulate homes at public cost | 57% support | Apr 2026 | YouGov | 2,041 |
| Net zero will raise living costs too much | 39% agree | Mar 2026 | Redfield & Wilton | 1,500 |
Analysis: The Net Zero Political Divide
Labour’s Clean Power 2030 Bet
Labour has committed to a clean power grid by 2030 — a target widely considered ambitious. Ed Miliband’s appointment as Energy Secretary signals climate credentials. Labour’s 29% energy trust lead, combined with Greens (19%) and Lib Dems (15%), means a progressive majority on energy issues dwarfs Reform UK’s position. The onshore wind ban lift and new nuclear investment are broadly supported. The 71% worried about bills, however, gives opponents an opening to link net zero costs with household financial pressure.
Reform UK’s Anti-Net Zero Platform
Reform UK has made scrapping the net zero 2050 target a central policy commitment. With 71% of their own voters opposing net zero and 82% backing continued North Sea extraction, it is one of their most distinctively popular positions among their base. The 71% who say energy bills remain too high provides the rhetorical bridge: Reform links net zero costs to household bill increases, a connection that 39% of all voters find compelling even while nominally supporting climate action.
Energy & Climate Views by Age Group
Age is the sharpest predictor of energy views after party affiliation. Younger voters are significantly more supportive of net zero and renewables; older voters are more focused on bill affordability and more sceptical of green transition costs.
Source: YouGov/Ipsos composite polling, Q1–Q2 2026. Figures are approximate averages across polls with consistent question wording.
The pattern shows that older voters (65+) have the highest bill anxiety (81% worried) and the lowest net zero support (44%) — exactly the demographic most likely to vote Reform UK. This is not coincidental: Reform’s anti-net zero platform is calibrated for voters for whom energy affordability is an immediate, personal concern rather than a long-term policy priority.
Frequently Asked Questions
How worried are UK voters about energy bills?
71% of UK voters are worried about energy bill affordability in 2026. Bills remain approximately 60% above pre-2021 levels despite falling from the £3,549 peak in Q3 2022. The government’s energy support schemes ended in 2023. The Ofgem price cap for 2026 sits around £1,849 per year for a typical household.
What do UK voters think about net zero by 2050?
61% of UK voters support net zero by 2050 overall. But there is a sharp partisan divide: 84% of Labour voters and 95% of Green voters support it, while 71% of Reform UK voters oppose it. 39% of all voters say the economic cost of net zero is too high, giving the opposition to climate targets significant leverage despite being in the minority.
Do UK voters support onshore wind farms?
68% of UK voters support expanding onshore wind farms, with only 18% opposed. This is one of the strongest public mandates on any energy policy. Labour lifted the de facto ban on onshore wind in England introduced by the Conservatives in 2015. Support for offshore wind is broadly similar at around 68%.
What do polls show about nuclear power in the UK?
54% of UK voters support nuclear power expansion in January 2026 Ipsos polling, up from 45% in 2021. Support has risen driven partly by energy security concerns following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 26% still oppose. All main parties now support nuclear, including Labour which is backing Sizewell C development.
What do UK voters think about North Sea oil and gas?
48% of UK voters support continuing North Sea oil and gas extraction, against 37% who want a phase-out. Reform UK voters are by far the strongest supporters at 82%. Labour has banned new North Sea licences while managing existing fields, a position that satisfies neither climate campaigners nor the energy security lobby. See how parties compare on energy policy →
How worried are UK voters about energy bills?
71% of UK voters are worried about energy bill affordability in 2026, despite bills falling from their 2022 peak. The Ofgem price cap stands at approximately £1,849 per year — still around 60% above pre-2021 levels. The winter fuel payment cut to pensioners who are not on pension credit was deeply unpopular, with 68% opposing the change. High energy costs remain a major driver of Labour’s low approval ratings on the economy and cost of living.
What do UK voters think about solar and heat pump policy?
78% of UK voters support expanding solar energy — the most popular energy policy in 2026 polling. Heat pumps are more divisive: 52% support government subsidies but only 38% say they would choose a heat pump themselves. The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant has had limited uptake relative to ambitions. Barriers include upfront cost, the need for home insulation, and uncertainty about running costs versus gas boilers. Despite the gap between support in principle and personal adoption, renewable technology enjoys broad public support across all voting groups except Reform UK.
Related Trackers
Sources & Further Reading
UK energy policy and net zero analysis is published by the House of Commons Library: UK energy policy. For party positions on energy, see our Green Party tracker and Reform UK tracker.