Latest Publications

Despite the government’s target to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the UK’s heat pump supply chain is still in its infancy and remains much weaker than in mainland Europe or Asia. This report explores the economic and environmental benefits of making the UK’s heat pump supply chain more robust and provides recommendations for how to turn this opportunity into a reality.

The success of the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has triggered significant changes in international trade and manufacturing, as other OECD governments have sought to imitate its approach. This briefing surveys international responses to the IRA to identify how the can UK take advantage of the opportunities in this new economic regime.

The current system of policies supporting households with high energy bills is inadequate for an era of high energy bills. In this final, report with Public First, we present a new policy framework that should be in place by spring 2024 – to ensure warmer homes, fairer use of public money, and overall cheaper bills. It is part of a wider project commissioned and supported by Citizens Advice.

Energy bills are expected to remain high for several more years, and are a reminder that we do not have durable and considered bill policies at a UK level. In this joint interim report with Public First, we set out a series of choices and challenges around the future of energy bill policy. It is part of a wider project commissioned and supported by Citizens Advice.

As we transition towards electric vehicles that don’t incur fuel duty, the Treasury faces a revenue loss of £30bn each year. Given the unpopularity of fuel duty, this report explores the case for introducing a nationwide road pricing system in the UK – setting out a model that is fairer than fuel duty, replaces lost tax revenue, and reduces the burden on low-income households.

This report draws attention to the home heat workforce - the plumbers, heating and gas engineers, and installers - who will be playing an essential in delivering the UK's net zero targets. It provides much-needed insight into the challenges and barriers facing the industry, and highlights the need for policymakers to step in and address them.

This report examines how government and regulators can address the presence of "greenwashing" to ensure consumers do not feel misled by the costs or benefits of climate policy and green goods.

Informed by a recent expert roundtable and polling evidence commissioned for the SMF, the report highlights a lack of public understanding of Net Zero and the need to transition homes away from natural gas boilers.

This collection of essays published by the Social Market Foundation think-tank and the Chartered Banker Institute focuses on green finance and the role that financial services can play in delivering environmental goals. Contributors include: Mary Robinson and Sir Roger Gifford.