Can Rachel Reeves protect both households and the public finances from the energy price shock?

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government · Mar 20, 2026 · 1h 1m

As war in the Middle East disrupts energy markets across the world, what are the implications for households and businesses in the UK and how should government respond to the price shock?

This IfG webinar explored Rachel Reeves’s options for supporting consumers – and what the ongoing conflict could mean for energy policy, the transition to net zero and for the public finances.

What are the implications of different scenarios for oil and gas shipments from the Middle East? What do they mean for the design of support packages? How would different approaches impact government objectives on…