Will Rishi Sunak delaying electric car and gas boiler switch affect me?

Published

2 years ago

September 21, 2023

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The cost of living crisis has seen Rishi Sunak go back on some of the government’s key promises on climate change.

In a Downing Street speech on Wednesday, the prime minister announced a delay in the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 to 2035 and on gas boilers in all new homes from 2025 to 2035.

He also scrapped plans that would have made rental properties more energy efficient.

But with changes still years into the future – and the cost of living crisis rumbling on – will pushing deadlines back make a difference to people’s finances now? Here, Sky News takes a look.

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Live reaction to PM’s green policy changes

Petrol and diesel vehicle ban

When he was prime minister in 2020, Boris Johnson committed to banning the sale of any new petrol and diesel cars in the UK from 2030. This is now being pushed back until 2035.

Plans to fine manufacturers for each vehicle that doesn’t comply are also being watered down.

Figures show that although petrol and diesel are still the overwhelming majority – the numbers of plug-in and battery electric vehicles on UK roads have increased – by 45% and 58% respectively.

And in 2023 more electric vehicles were registered than diesel ones for the first time.

This shows a “general trend” away from internal combustion engines (ICE) – and towards more sustainable modes of transport already, says Oliver Montague, chief executive and co-founder of the e-bike engineer company Swytch.

So a change in the timing of the ban is unlikely to have much of an impact.

“Those who have to transition [to EVs] will still have to do so – they just have more time to do it,” he tells Sky News.

“The real shift will be for people who can choose how they want to get around – who aren’t already hooked to one particular mode of transport” – such as a diesel car that needs trading in.

And with the average car journey being only around eight miles – he believes many will opt for e-bikes or cycling, instead of an electric vehicle, meaning the ICE ban will have even less of an impact.

The RAC also notes the ban only covers new petrol and diesel cars, which means “a lot of people won’t be affected as the majority tend to buy used vehicles”.

Mike Childs, head of science, research and policy at Friends of the Earth, adds that people will still be able to buy non-UK manufactured EVs.

“From a consumer perspective it won’t have a great impact because they can just buy Chinese or German EVs,” he tells Sky News.

“But for British manufacturing it’s a huge backwards step and a massive shot in the foot for jobs.”

No gas boilers in new homes

Plans to stop new build properties being fitted with gas boilers beyond 2025 are being pushed back 10 years.

This doesn’t affect people who already have gas boilers, who won’t need to replace them with alternatives such as heat pumps. As a result, this change is more likely to affect developers than consumers.

Jess Ralston, energy analyst at Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, says that with a greater upfront cost for heat pumps, we won’t know until the changes come in how much of that will be passed on to buyers.

But she adds: “As time goes on heat pumps are going to be cheaper to buy and run anyway.”

Plans for all new heating systems to be low carbon by 2035, including £450m in household grants, has also been scrapped.

This means more people will have gas boilers for longer, which with prices “two to three times’ pre-crisis levels” will mean people paying more in energy bills, Ms Ralston adds.

But on Wednesday Mr Sunak did announce a 50% increase in the boiler upgrade scheme, which offers people £7,500 to help with the costs of switching from a boiler to a heat pump.

More energy efficient landlords

In 2020, Boris Johnson also pledged that from 2028 all rental properties would have to have an energy efficient rating of C or higher (A being the best and G the worst). But Mr Sunak is scrapping this due to “cost of living challenges”.

Ms Ralston says she “cannot get a single shred of logic” from the decision.

“This would reduce people’s energy bills in the cost of living crisis and increase energy security – things that the government say they want to be doing. It makes no sense whatsoever.”

Mr Childs says it will disproportionately affect people on lower incomes who are more likely to rent their homes.

“This is a massive kick in the teeth to people who live in cold, damp rented homes that are expensive to heat.

“It’s also a massive handout to landlords who can’t be bothered to insulate their properties properly,” he says.

He adds that despite some drop in prices this year, the cost of oil and gas is increasing again – and will remain volatile for as long as Russia is at war with Ukraine.

“There are more renters than there are landlords, so it makes no sense on votes. It just begs the question of whether the government are being lobbied by wealthy landlords,” Ms Ralston says.

Hydrogen levy

The government was proposing to introduce a levy of around £100 on household energy bills in 2025 – to help pay for low-carbon hydrogen production.

But after many claimed the hydrogen was being used primarily in industry – not people’s homes – ministers have scrapped it.

This is being welcomed by environmental and consumer groups.

Ms Ralston says that heat pumps are far more efficient than hydrogen for heating homes – so the government was right to recognise this wasn’t something the public should pay for.

Mr Childs adds that hydrogen still relies on natural gas – which both homes and transport have been moving away from, so Friends of the Earth has been “against it from the outset”.

UK

How many prisoners are released by mistake?

Published

42 mins ago

November 5, 2025

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How many prisoners are released by mistake?

A manhunt for a second and third prisoner who were released in error has put further pressure on Justice Secretary David Lammy.

Last month Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, who was serving a 12-month prison sentence for sexual assault, was released in error when he should have been deported.

The Ethiopian national, who came to the UK on a small boat in the summer, spent roughly 48 hours at large before being apprehended in north London and deported.

But it emerged on Wednesday that within days of Kebatu’s mistaken release from HMP Chelmsford, HMP Wandsworth also mistakenly released prisoner Brahim Kaddour-Cherif.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed to Sky News: “Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday 4 November, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday 29 October.

“The prisoner is a 24-year-old Algerian man.

“Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody.”

The same day Surrey Police put out a public appeal to locate fraudster William Smith, 35, who was also released in error from HMP Wandsworth on 3 November. He had been sentenced to 45 months in prison that day.

Mr Lammy, who was recently appointed justice secretary, is under renewed political pressure.

How many prisoners are released in error?

According to government statistics published in July, 262 prisoners were released in error in the 12 months to March 2025 – a 128% increase from 115 the previous year.

The report states: “Of the 262 releases in error, 233 of these releases in error occurred from prison establishments, while 29 were released in error at the courts.

“Releases in error from establishments could also be a result of errors by the court.”

This is out of a total prison population across England and Wales of roughly 86,000.

Sky News has contacted the HM Prison & Probation Service to know how many of the 262 prisoners have since been found and returned to custody.

In September 2024, Sky News reported how dozens of people released from jail under the government’s emergency prison scheme were freed by mistake.

The Labour government said it was forced to release hundreds of inmates early because prisons were at capacity.

Kebatu was due to be deported when he was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford.

Previous high-profile manhunts

William Fernandez, who was awaiting trial for sexual assault, was released from HMP Wormwood by error in March 2021. He then went on to rape a 16-year-old girl and sexually assault a young woman.

In December 2019, the prisons and probation service “apologised unreservedly” after serial rapist Joseph McCann was freed to commit a series of sex attacks on women and children.

In July 2017, an inmate who was released from prison just months into a nine-year sentence due to a “clerical error” was arrested after weeks on the run.

UK

Small boat migrant sent back to France for second time in less than two months

Published

42 mins ago

November 5, 2025

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Small boat migrant sent back to France for second time in less than two months

A man who arrived on a small boat has been sent back to France for the second time in less than two months.

The Iranian man came to the UK on a small boat on 6 August and was initially sent back to France on 19 September, before returning to the UK on a small boat on 18 October.

He has been flown back again as part of the latest tranche of 19 returnees under the “one in, one out” agreement with France.

Politics latest: Badenoch slams ‘shambles of a government’

The Iranian man told The Guardian he had been a victim of modern slavery at the hands of people smugglers in northern France.

As part of the one in, one out agreement, which came into play in August, 94 migrants who came to the UK illegally on small boats have now been removed.

In return, a total of 57 approved asylum seekers have been brought to the UK.

Although the UK has sent back more migrants than it has accepted, the two countries have committed to exchange an equal number of people in each direction.

The end of October saw more migrants having crossed the Channel in 2025 than the entirety of 2024.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Anyone looking to return to the UK after being removed under the UK-France agreement is wasting their time and money.

“This individual was detected by biometrics and detained instantly. His case was expedited, and now he has been removed again.

“My message is clear: if you try to return to the UK you will be sent back. I will do whatever it takes to scale up removals of illegal migrants and secure our borders.”

UK

Major incident declared in parts of Wales after flooding triggers hundreds of calls

Published

42 mins ago

November 5, 2025

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Major incident declared in parts of Wales after flooding triggers hundreds of calls

Fire crews have been tackling a major incident after flooding hit parts of southwest Wales overnight, with people trapped in their homes and vehicles.

Joint Fire Control (JFC), which includes South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, received more than 450 calls within a 12-hour period, mainly in Carmarthenshire, according to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS).

Forty-eight people were rescued from a care home, more than 40 people were helped to safety from flooded homes, three people were rescued from a vehicle trapped in fast-flowing water, and more than 30 dogs were saved from flood-affected kennels at a shelter.

A major incident was declared after flooding at a retirement complex in Whitland in the early hours of Wednesday. At 1.35am, crews were deployed to rescue 48 people using “rescue sleds and water rescue equipment,” MAWWFRS said in a statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, in the remote village of Ffarmers, fire teams rescued three people and their two dogs who were stuck in a vehicle situated in fast-flowing water.

Fire chiefs said crews used extension ladders to reach the vehicle.

Two further incidents on Tuesday evening involved people being rescued from flooded properties in Ferryside.

Around 42 more people were rescued in nearby St Clears, where about 20 domestic and commercial properties were flooded.

Later the same evening, crews were involved in an operation at Glanrhyd Dog Sanctuary, Kidwelly. Boats were used to evacuated dogs from a shelter which was ruined in the floods.

Owner Alison Clark told Sky News she was “broken beyond belief”.

“It’s devastating. Everything ruined or lost in the current. All white goods… freezers etc along with dog food, bedding and leads etc.

“We spent 80k on this move to make the sanctuary one of the best and now it is ruined.

“I’m broken beyond belief. My only saving grace is that I kept every dog alive.”

Among the rivers placed on flood warning – where flooding is expected – were the River Towy around Camarthen and between Llandeilo and Abergwili, the River Ritec at Tenby, the River Cynin at St Clears, the River Taf at Whitland and the River Teifi at Llechryd and Cenarth.

Carmarthenshire County Council said a rest centre has been set up in Carmarthen Leisure Centre for those suffering the “severe impact” of flooding in the Whitland and St Clears areas.

Seven schools were closed on Wednesday in the county and the council also confirmed multiple road closures were in place due to flooding or road conditions.

Craig Flannery, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at MAWWFRS, said the rescues were “prolonged and challenging”.

“I have personally witnessed the dedication and professionalism of our staff dealing with multiple calls over a prolonged period, as well as the courageous efforts of our operational crews responding to these incidents across our Service area,” he said.

“Our crews have been truly exceptional in assisting and protecting our communities.

“We are also extremely grateful to all partner agencies who have assisted in responding to incidents during a prolonged and challenging period.”