Rubbish Check
Daily Mail Money · 23 September 2026
source“Why are the UK’s energy costs so high? Report reveals why electricity bills have rocketed 147% since 2010”
R2/ 10
Lightly altered
Rubbish Rating — 1 = base fact, 10 = pure rubbish
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In short
Rubbish Talk rates Daily Mail Money's claim that UK electricity bills have "rocketed 147% since 2010" a 2/10 because the figure is the IFS's own reported number, correctly attributed, with only a minor overreach in crediting a single report for explanations that actually came from Ofgem, the NAO and industry analysts too.
The Verdict
Lightly altered. The 147% figure is lifted straight from the IFS study and the "highest in the G7" comparison checks out against the article's own per-kWh table, so the core claim holds. The only wobble is the headline's framing that one "report" explains the price rise, when the piece actually stitches together the IFS, Ofgem, the National Audit Office and outside analysts to build the full picture.
What actually happened
The Institute for Fiscal Studies reported that UK household electricity prices have risen 147% since 2010, outpacing most other consumer goods. The article, drawing on IFS data plus Ofgem, the National Audit Office and industry commentary, breaks that rise into wholesale gas costs, grid upgrade spending and net zero-related levies, while noting VAT on bills falls from 5% to zero in October.
Key facts
- UK typical electricity price in 2025: 29.70p/kWh, versus 22.41p in France, 22.99p in Sweden and 21.22p in the Netherlands.
- Wholesale costs made up 31% of the average UK household electricity bill in 2025-26, or £283 per household, per the IFS.
- Ofgem's £28billion five-year grid upgrade plan (approved December 2025) is estimated to add £108 to bills by 2031.
- The National Audit Office found Labour's 2030 net zero grid target is adding £1.9billion a year to bills.
- IFS: taxes and levies on bills rose 59% in real terms between 2017 and 2025, reaching 23% of the average bill, before falling to 17% between July and October 2026 as VAT changes and higher wholesale prices altered the mix.
- Energy debt is forecast to hit a record £7billion by end of 2026, according to Energy UK.
What to watch for
- Watch whether the levies-share-of-bill figure keeps falling as VAT hits zero in October, since that could be used to claim "bills are fairer" even as wholesale costs (driven by Middle East and Ukraine disruption) keep rising underneath.
- The £108 grid-upgrade addition by 2031 and the £1.9billion-a-year net zero cost are both forward estimates, not locked-in outcomes, watch for revisions as Ofgem's plan is implemented.
About this scoreThe R-Score is Rubbish Talk's editorial opinion on how far a headline's framing sits from what the underlying facts support. It is a judgement about presentation and emphasis, not an allegation that any outlet has acted dishonestly. Every figure we rely on is linked under Receipts so you can check it yourself.
