Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Politics

SNP to set up public energy company

Leader Nicola Sturgeon promises new not-for-profit outfit will cut fuel bills for Scottish homes

Conference season usually produces lots of gossip and very little in the way by way of significant policies.

But Nicola Sturgeon made a bold pledge during her speech at the SNP gathering in Glasgow today, promising to establish a public energy company by 2021 to compete with the big private providers.

Energy would be bought wholesale…and sold to customers as close to cost price as possible

Scotland’s First Minister said the body would be run as a not-for-profit, using renewable energy.

“Energy would be bought wholesale or generated here in Scotland – renewable, of course – and sold to customers as close to cost price as possible,” she said. “No shareholders to worry about. No corporate bonuses to consider.”

Although Scottish Labour accused Sturgeon of lifting their idea, a publically-owned energy company was floated in the nationalists’ last manifesto.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Many consumers on low incomes will welcome any move offering an option to switch to cheaper fuel bills.

Rising energy costs across the UK have hit many families hard, pulling some into fuel poverty. According to Citizens Advice, the average gas and electricity bills have gone up by £89 – 8.3% – in the past year.

This week’s edition of The Big Issue shows readers how to switch to the cheapest possible renewable supplier and make big savings.

The Big Issue has teamed up with the Big Clean Switch campaign to show customers how to change provider and cut fuel bills.

The average annual saving among consumers who have switched to a clean supplier of gas and electricity is £251.

For more information, buy this week’s edition of The Big Issue, or go to bigcleanswitch.org/bigissue

Find your local vendor

Find your Vendor
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

READER-SUPPORTED SINCE 1991

Reader-supported journalism that doesn’t just report problems, it helps solve them.

Recommended for you

View all
Labour deputy hopeful Lucy Powell on benefit cuts, landlords and Farage: 'There's no quick fix'
Lucy Powell in House of Commons
Politics

Labour deputy hopeful Lucy Powell on benefit cuts, landlords and Farage: 'There's no quick fix'

From broken railways to packed prisons: Margaret Thatcher's legacy continues to cast its long shadow
Politics

From broken railways to packed prisons: Margaret Thatcher's legacy continues to cast its long shadow

What does Keir Starmer's personality type tell us about him?
Prime minister Keir Starmer on the phone
Psychology

What does Keir Starmer's personality type tell us about him?

There's no trust left in the world. How can we get it back?
Trust

There's no trust left in the world. How can we get it back?

Reader-supported journalism that doesn’t just report problems, it helps solve them.

Every day, Big Issue digs deeper – speaking up for those society overlooks. Will you help us keep doing this work?