Ministers have unveiled their flagship plan to train and recruit workers for the booming clean energy sector, which it is hoping to supercharge in the next five years.

Up to £18m of new money has been pledged by the UK and Scottish governments specifically to move those working in the oil and gas sector into new roles.

Their jobs are about to fall off a cliff as the industry declines, with at least 40,000 of the current 115,000 jobs forecast to disappear by the early 2030s.

Almost all of those roles are thought to be fairly easily transferable into green industries – requiring little more than a few months of extra training.

But in the absence of government help, workers have been moving abroad, industry says, taking with them the expertise Britain badly needs to for its new greener energy system.

And it has left them feeling forgotten about after years of working to keep the lights on, and increasingly swayed by Reform UK, both GMB and Unite unions have warned Labour.

Pledge to double green jobs by 2030

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told Sky News that creating jobs in sectors like carbon capture and storage and hydrogen would help “create a future for those in the North Sea communities”.

The new £18m will pay for careers advice, training, and “skills passports” to enable oil and gas workers to make the switch without having to repeat qualifications.

The cash was announced on Sunday in the new Clean Energy Jobs Plan, which details how the government hopes to make good on its promise to double green jobs by 2030.

Mr Miliband said in an interview: “This plan shows 400,000 extra jobs in the clean energy economy by 2030.

“This isn’t a target. This is actually what we believe is necessary to meet all the plans we have across the economy.”

The first strategy of its kind hopes to plug the UK’s massive skills gap that threatens to derail the government’s target to green the electricity system by 2030.

It identifies 31 priority occupations that are particularly in demand, such as plumbers, electricians and welders, and lists a target to convert five colleges into new “Technical Excellence Colleges” to train workers.

‘You can’t train people for jobs that aren’t there’

Unions welcomed the plan, but pointed out that skills and training do not equate to new jobs.

They say it will mean nothing without extra money and a revitalised domestic supply chain to build all the green technology needed, from fibreglass wind turbines to aluminium sub-sea cables.

Sharon Graham, the Unite general secretary who has threatened to cut ties with Labour over its policy to end North Sea oil and gas drilling and watering down of a ban on zero-hours contracts, welcomed the “initial steps” but called for “an equally ambitious programme of public investment”.

Professor Paul de Leeuw from the Energy Transition Institute in Aberdeen said the plan was “genuinely new and different”, and had for the first time joined up relevant information and strategies in one place.

But “you can’t train people for jobs that aren’t there”, he added, also calling for an investment plan.f

Reform heartlands could benefit from Labour’s jobs plan

The boom in clean energy jobs stands to benefit Reform heartlands along the east coast of Britain.

That fact is more by luck than design, given the east coast’s proximity to offshore wind farms and carbon capture and storage fields in the North Sea.

Reform promises a radically different vision for the country’s future, based on reopening coal mines and maxing out nuclear power and what’s left of North Sea oil and gas to boost jobs and the economy.

Its deputy leader, Richard Tice, objects to land being used for solar panels and pylons.

Government modelling forecasts an additional 35,000 direct jobs in Scotland, 55,000 in the East of England and 50,000 in the North West.

To keep the unions sweet, the government will also have to follow through on its pledge to boost the rights of those working offshore in green energy.

A current loophole gives protections like the minimum wage to oil and gas workers in UK territorial seas, but not to workers in the clean energy sector.

It’s a question your insurer will never answer: how much does your car insurance go up after a claim?

Complex algorithms, individual circumstances, the nature of the accident and a list of other factors are all in play, making a definitive answer hard to come by – especially when your premium often rises each year regardless.

Two insurance experts we spoke to on the record couldn’t offer any firm guidance – though they did lift the bonnet on the processes involved and how any increase might be calculated.

Perhaps the only reliable indicator is anecdotal evidence – so we asked Money blog readers for their stories, many of which we’ve included at the bottom of this piece.

They show huge disparities, with some facing 10% to 50% increases, while others were – counterintuitively – quoted a cheaper price when they came up for renewal.

One reader’s premium increased by as much as 207% – and around one in five ended up paying at least 170% more.

A recurring theme was that initial renewal quotes jumped significantly, but some of the edge was taken off by shopping around.

Can you sort it out without involving an insurer?

All of this might make you wonder if it’s cheaper, after a minor accident, to sort things out directly between both parties.

It can be done – but it’s a risky road to go down.

As one insurance insider told us, agreements a few hours after an accident regularly dissolve.

“They all say they’re happy, and then…”

Injuries, real or exaggerated, are not always apparent in the immediate aftermath, and what appears to be superficial damage on, say, your bumper, can end up requiring a new radiator.

Read all the latest Money news here

So this route can leave you in a tricky spot, legally and financially – you need to be really sure about who you’re dealing with and it’s always best to seek independent advice.

Don’t forget, too, that most policies will be invalid if you have an accident and don’t report this to your insurer. That doesn’t mean making a claim – you can tell them for “information only” – but, as some of your stories below prove, a note on your file could affect future quotes.

Fault or no-fault – it doesn’t always matter

One thing that might surprise people is that fault isn’t always a decisive factor in how much a premium may rise.

Jenny Ross, editor of Which? Money, told us: “If you’re involved in an accident or something happens to your car, this affects your risk profile whether it’s your fault or not.

“The reason is, risk isn’t a statement of how good or conscientious a driver you are, or how likely you are to cause accidents – but a statistical estimate of how likely you are to be involved in an incident that might lead to a claim.”

For example, a recent incident could be reflective of difficult traffic conditions where you tend to drive, and this will be the factor that pushes up a premium.

Someone else’s accident can impact your premium

Stuart Masson, editorial director at The Car Expert, told the Money blog a premium may be affected if people with a similar profile to you have an accident.

“Insurance companies use demographic data to calculate premiums based on accident data – and that can penalise you indirectly,” he said.

For example, your postcode, type of car and job title are all factors that can influence your premium costs.

“If there has been an accident (regardless of fault) involving someone with your job, living in your postcode and driving your model of car, it will inevitably factor into the algorithm as an increased accident risk and therefore increase your premium,” said Masson.

Does no-claims discount protection work?

Many people pay extra to protect their no-claims, but they may not realise this protection will (usually) only withstand a limited number of claims per year.

And while NCDP is likely to lessen the impact of any rise in your premium, it won’t stop it altogether.

“The reason is, it’s not directly protecting your premium (which will probably increase if you claim), but the discount applied to it,” said Ross from Which?.

She gave this example:

If your premium was £1,000, and you had a discount of 50%, you’d pay £500. If you claimed, and the underlying premium rose to £1,200, without NCDP your discount might fall to 30% – meaning you’d pay £840 (an increase of 68%). If you had NCDP preserving your 50% discount, you’d pay £600 – still an overall increase of 20%.

Loyalty does not pay

If your renewal quote does rise, it’s important to shop around – both our experts and most of the readers who wrote in concur.

“Don’t give your insurer any loyalty, because they won’t show you any,” said Masson.

Your stories

My premium went from £387 to £569 for a no-fault claim that isn’t closed yet and hasn’t gone to court, even though the other driver claimed responsibility. Had I not added the claim to my insurance quote, my premium this year would have been £418. If it’s not my fault, I don’t understand why I have to pay more.
Bharat – 47% increase

Shortly after leasing our car somebody hit it in a supermarket car park and drove off. We called our insurer to check if we could claim and how that would affect our premium. We didn’t in the end and paid for the repair ourselves (about £300). When we came to renew, the quoted premium had gone from £550 to more than £1,200 so we shopped around and settled on a policy with a £530 quote. When we were finalising the payment, the agent ran a check and said there was an incident noted on “CARE” and that the policy was now going to be £650.
Steven London – 18% increase

I had an accident in February – an at-fault claim. My insurance went up from £700 to £850 a year, which I thought was reasonable. 33M, Porsche Macan, £400 excess, £1,600 total claim value for repairs to both vehicles.
Anonymous – 21% increase

I had an accident where I was deemed at fault in March. At renewal time in May, I was still quoted £100 less than the previous year, even with this claim settled. Maybe my age (now 25) brought it down.
William Ferguson – decrease

A woman driving a large SUV came out of a side road without stopping and wrote my car off. Her insurers, Direct Line Motability, straightaway admitted full liability as I was not at fault. Later, after I bought a Ford Fiesta, my Aviva premium jumped from £249.86 last January to a quotation of more than £1,000 because I was “in an accident”. I used all the comparison sites to get new quotations (some did not even bother to ask who was to blame for the accident!). Premium quotes ranged from over double (Admiral – £510.41) to well over five-fold my January premium – all because I was “involved” in an accident!
Christopher, Chester – 104% increase

My car insurance with John Lewis went up from around £650 to £1,150 after a claim for a no-fault accident. This after paying for protected NCB and being with them for years. I had to shop around and got cover elsewhere for £690.
Anonymous – 6% increase

After 15 years claims-free, my car was damaged overnight by an unknown driver. Since I couldn’t prove a responsible party, I was deemed at fault. My premium skyrocketed from £280 to £860 after that single incident. The repairs cost just £500. I would have been better off footing the bill privately.
Anthony, Portsmouth – 207% increase

Having had no claims for 20 years, I was unfortunate to be on the receiving end of two instances of bad driving, and another of just bad luck, in a few months. Having added these no-fault claims to my AA quote, the price went up to more than £480 (from £297). I phoned to ask why, arguing the premium shouldn’t go up as I was 64, retired and doing fewer miles. I was effectively told that retirees are considered higher risk, and my claims history, despite the circumstances, still showed I was higher risk.
Carol Sim – 61% increase

In 2023, when I was 20, I had an accident in my 2018 1.5 Mini Cooper when a driver went into the back of me at a roundabout. My insurance went up from £655.25 to £1,001.25. But seeing as I had changed vehicle to a 2021 Cooper S as well as changed locations from Cornwall to Kent (which added £130.70 to the price), I didn’t think this was too bad.
Ross – 53% increase

I reinsured my Audi A7 after a rear-end shunt that was my fault. I have a good driving record with full no-claims discount. It was going to cost me £300 more to renew, but using comparison websites I got it £50 cheaper than before the bump (£480). I do have no-claims protection which is taken into account, as well as my age, 59.
Neil Pannett, West Sussex – 10% decrease

My quote with Admiral was reasonable considering the extras. I was 32 and my wife was 29 when I bought the car. Insurance was roughly £760, which went down over the years to about £480. In 2023, a driver who had passed their test two days earlier hit our vehicle. All documents were sent off and my insurance said it clearly wasn’t my fault – it went down as a non-fault. A year later when my insurance was due for renewal, Admiral wanted just shy of £1,300. Needless to say, after being with them seven or so years from a previous vehicle, I went to Hastings Direct which gave me the same policy for £560.
Ross Curtis, Kent – 17% increase

After a claim where I struck a post at a coffee drive-through (it was a newly erected post and in my nearside blind spot) my renewal premium went from around £370 to just over £1,000! It was my only claim ever with a maximum non-claims discount on record.
Graeme – 170% increase

I was hit from behind by a car that had left no gap and had been tailgating me for a while – I went from paying £44 to £77 a month on renewal. The accident was classed as a no-fault on my insurance. My motorbike insurance also increased from £90 to £240.
Tony Reilly – 167% increase

I had an accident in London near Edgware Road where I was found to not be at fault. But during the investigation my premium went up from £400 to £660. After a year and being forced to pay the extra £160, I got my no-claims bonus back and my insurance went down to the £400 region again.
M’hamed Naana – 65% increase

I have had to make two no-fault claims (October 2023 and June 2025). I have just come to renew my insurance, but the price increased by more than £100. Using comparison sites I found a premium almost £200 cheaper. I rang to confirm the second no-fault claim, but it increased the quote by £65. The person on the phone apologised as “although I am not at fault, the rules are it increases the risk”.
Barry Horne – decrease

I had two non-fault claims over a year. Both times I wasn’t in the car and both times the full amount was recovered from the other party. Despite this, my protected no claims insurance policy went from £334 to £960 a year.
Martin – 187% increase

My vehicle was involved in an accident last year which was determined to be no-fault to me and the third party paid the claim. When I came to renew this year I got some quotes, first without declaring the claim, then declaring the claim. The second lot of quotes were consistently 10% higher.
Ian – 10% increase

I made a no-fault claim through Admiral Insurance when a car ran into my Audi. The other driver and his insurer admitted it was entirely their fault. My car was written off by Admiral. Two months later my renewal quote went up from £678 to £1,059.
MC, London – 56% increase

Brexit will have a negative impact on the UK’s economic growth “for the foreseeable future”, the UK’s most senior banker has warned.

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said a decline in the UK’s potential growth rate from 2.5% to 1.5% over the past 15 years was linked to lower productivity growth, an ageing population, trade restrictions – and post-Brexit economic policies.

But he did add that the economy is, however, likely to adjust and find balance again in the longer term.

“Over the longer term, there will be – because trade adjusts – some at least partial rebalancing,” he added.

Speaking at an international banking seminar on Saturday in Washington DC, Mr Bailey said: “For nearly a decade, I have been very careful to say that I take no position per se on Brexit, which was a decision by the people of the UK, and it is our job as public officials to implement it.

“But, I quite often get asked a second question: what’s the impact on economic growth?

“And as a public official, I have to answer that question.

“And the answer is that for the foreseeable future it is negative.”

However, Mr Bailey did say investment in innovation and new technologies, including AI, may help address the decline in productivity growth in the long run.

“If we take account of the impact of ageing and trade restrictions, we’re really putting our chips on investment,” he added.

“We’re putting our chips on general-purpose technology, and AI looks like the next general-purpose technology, so we need to work with it.

“We need to ensure that it develops appropriately and well.”

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Mr Bailey warned that, although AI is likely to usher in a breakthrough in productivity long-term, it may “in the current circumstances, be a risk to financial stability through stretched valuations in the markets”.

“It doesn’t undermine the fact that AI, in my view, is likely, in addressing this slower growth issue, that we have and the consequences of it – that it is actually the best hope we have, and we really do need to do all we can to foster it,” he said.

The Bank of England governor’s prediction comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves is under pressure ahead of next month’s budget, with official figures showing muted growth in August following a surprise contraction in July.

Inflation surge

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.1% month-on-month in August and fell by 0.1% in July, in a revision to the previous estimate for no growth.

In the three months to August, GDP grew by 0.3% compared with 0.2% growth in the three months to July, the ONS said.

The latest figures come after the International Monetary Fund earlier this week forecast UK inflation was set to surge to the highest in the G7 in 2025 and 2026.