{"id":705330,"date":"2026-07-22T14:02:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/705330\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T14:02:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:02:02","slug":"free-plug-in-power-banks-to-be-given-to-households-to-cut-energy-bills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/705330\/","title":{"rendered":"Free plug-in power banks to be given to households to cut energy bills"},"content":{"rendered":"

Households are set to be given free \u201cplug-in batteries<\/a>\u201d to allow them to store power to help cut their energy bills<\/a>, The i Paper can reveal.<\/p>\n

About the size of a cabin suitcase, a plug-in battery acts like a power bank to store cheap electricity when demand is low and release it later when energy prices<\/a> are higher.<\/p>\n

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has worked up a proposal which would see the Government bulk-buy the devices and distribute them to low-income homes, The i Paper has learned.<\/p>\n

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HOUSING<\/p>\n

How Burnham plans to fix the housing crisis<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Vicky Spratt<\/p>\n

Housing and Society Correspondent<\/p>\n

Andy Burnham is now Prime Minister, and he has formed his Cabinet. Housing, as we learned in Burnham\u2019s first speech, is front and centre of this new Labour government.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here are four key housing and devolution policies that I believe may be announced under a Burnham government.<\/p>\n

\nThe 4 changes Burnham is set to make\n<\/p>\n

1Burnham announced his intention to end rough sleeping with a Housing First policy\u00a0based on the Finnish model.<\/p>\n

2We also know Burnham would like a major social and council housebuilding drive. If that sounds familiar, it\u2019s because this was also Angela Rayner\u2019s pledge when she became Housing Secretary in 2024.<\/p>\n

3Rayner wanted to go further on devolution when she was previously housing secretary \u2013 expect a localised approach.<\/p>\n

4We could see more state intervention in the housing market.<\/p>\n

The Chancellor\u2019s impact<\/p>\n

The new Chancellor, John Healey, was housing and planning minister in 2010. After that, he held the role of shadow housing secretary under Jeremy Corbyn . In that time, I sat down with him for multiple interviews where he explained that he\u00a0thought the housing market was in trouble because house prices had risen too far above earnings.<\/p>\n

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Newsletter (\u00a3)<\/p>\n

6 min read<\/p>\n

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Exclusive<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

Watch more from The i Paper<\/p>\n

@theipaper<\/a> <\/p>\n

Andy Burnham faces an early problem after a hot mic picked up a joke between two new cabinet ministers about the early release of prisoners. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting made the remarks during a conversation with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, in which he said new Justice Secretary Alex Norris was \u201cthe enemy now\u201d and \u201cwants to let them all out\u201d. #UK<\/a> #parliament<\/a> #burnham<\/a><\/p>\n

\u266c original sound \u2013 The i Paper \u2013 The i Paper<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"EuropeanEuropean Commission Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) crew after loading essential medical supplies and emergency kits on an aircraft to support an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Photo: Monicah Mwangi\/Reuters)<\/p>\n

HEALTH<\/p>\n

How worried should you be about an Ebola outbreak<\/p>\n

A humanitarian worker in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been medically evacuated to the UK following a potential healthcare\u2011related exposure to Ebola.<\/p>\n

Ebola is a highly dangerous pathogen that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids.<\/p>\n

What we know so far<\/p>\n

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the individual, who is a UK resident, has no symptoms and the move is purely precautionary.<\/p>\n

The patient is well but being monitored at a London hospital. The hospital is not named either but likely to be the Royal Free due to the facilities available there.<\/p>\n

The incubation period of Ebola ranges from two to 21 days and the humanitarian worker will have to isolate throughout.<\/p>\n

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NEWS<\/p>\n

1 min read<\/p>\n

The expert view<\/p>\n

The risk to the general public remains low. This individual has been transferred out of an abundance of caution, and we\u2019re pleased they remain well.<\/p>\n

RICHARD PEABODY, director of epidemic and emerging infections at UKHSA<\/p>\n

\"TOPSHOTCaption: TOPSHOT \u2013 A doctor provides care to a patient with Ebola virus disease at the Rwampara Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC) in Bunia, Ituri, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on July 13, 2026. Health workers at the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo are threatening to strike, telling AFP on July 13 they had not been paid since the virus was detected in mid-May. The highly infectious disease has killed more than 700 people among the nearly 2,000 confirmed infected in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the outbreak was declared on May 15, according to the latest official toll published on July 14. (Photo by BENEDICTION MURHABAZI \/ AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: BENEDICTION MURHABAZI
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors<\/p>\n

\"TOPSHOTLabour MP Jo Cox was murdered in 2016 (Photo: Daniel LEAL \/ AFP) <\/p>\n

uk news<\/p>\n

Cyclists ride to remember murdered MP Jo Cox<\/p>\n

A group of cyclists are riding 290 miles from Yorkshire to London in memory of murdered MP Jo Cox.<\/p>\n

The Labour MP for Batley and Spen was killed outside her constituency surgery in Leeds in June 2016.<\/p>\n

What her sister says<\/p>\n

Perhaps the greatest tribute we can offer Jo is not merely to repeat her words, but to live by them, and show that we really do have far more in common than that which divides us. This is exactly what this bike ride does: women and men, young and old, from different places and different backgrounds, spend time together.<\/p>\n

Kim Leadbeater, Jo cox\u2019s sister and MP for Spen Valley, speaking to the bbc<\/p>\n

\"KimCaption: Kim Leadbeater speaking to the Press Association in her office at the Houses of Parliament in London, ahead of the tenth anniversary of Jo Cox\u2019s murder. Kim Leadbeater, whose sibling was shot and stabbed by a neo-Nazi almost 10 years ago, said she understands anger at Monday\u2019s knife attack in Belfast but appealed for people not to \u201criot and cause more trouble and more problems\u201d. Picture date: Wednesday June 10, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Stefan Rousseau\/PA Wire<\/p>\n

Photographer: Stefan Rousseau
Provider: Stefan Rousseau\/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA<\/p>\n

How the ride will work<\/p>\n

The cyclists have set off from the Princess Mary Athletics Stadium in Cleckheaton and will finish in Southwark in London on Sunday. The youngest rider this year is 22 and the oldest, Kath Lyons from Skipton, is in her eighties. Some have travelled from New Zealand to complete the ride, the BBC reports.<\/p>\n

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Interview<\/p>\n

8 min read<\/p>\n

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Exclusive<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

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world analysis<\/p>\n

\u2018Miliband is an extremist\u2019: How Trump\u2019s White House sees Burnham\u2019s top team<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Daniel Bates\u00a0<\/p>\n

Commentator<\/p>\n

To\u00a0Andy Burnham, his Cabinet is the elite inner circle who will help him remake Britain.<\/p>\n

But in\u00a0Washington, they are barely known outside a small group of analysts and political nerds. And more concerningly, those who are known are already in the White House\u2019s bad books.<\/p>\n

What Trump says about Burnham<\/p>\n

The call was interesting, and went very well. I wished Prime Minister Burnham, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED.<\/p>\n

The Prime Minister held his first call with Trump on Monday, during which he invited the US President to Manchester for next year\u2019s G20 summit.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Trump, who had been expected to be critical of \u201cextremely liberal\u201d Burnham, described the call as a \u201cvery good\u201d talk.<\/p>\n

How Trump sees Burnham\u2019s Cabinet<\/p>\n

When it\u00a0comes to the new Cabinet, there are already hurdles to surmount.<\/p>\n

Insiders said that Foreign Secretary\u00a0Ed Miliband\u00a0was the only figure with any name recognition in Trump\u2019s inner circle but \u201cfor all the wrong reasons\u201d, particularly opposing North\u00a0Sea oil drilling.<\/p>\n

Others who may find themselves in Trump\u2019s sights are the new Defence Secretary Wes Streeting. He is expected to come under US pressure to raise defence spending.<\/p>\n

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Analysis<\/p>\n

5 min read<\/p>\n

ROYAL FAMILY<\/p>\n

Prince George celebrates 13th birthday<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND \u2013 JULY 12: Prince George of Wales attends day fourteen of the 2026 Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 12, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang\/WireImage)
Photographer: Karwai Tang
Provider: WireImage
Source: WireImage
Copyright: 2026 Karwai Tang<\/p>\n

Prince George\u00a0is marking a\u00a0new milestone as he turns 13 today. <\/p>\n

As the second in line to the British throne celebrates his special day, The i Paper takes a look at his life in pictures.<\/p>\n

His birth, christening and Trooping the Colour <\/p>\n

\"LONDON,Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND \u2013 JULY 23: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge depart The Lindo Wing with their newborn son at St Mary\u2019s Hospital on July 23, 2013 in London, England. The Duchess of Cambridge yesterday gave birth to a boy at 16.24 BST and weighing 8lb 6oz, with Prince William at her side. The baby, as yet unnamed, is third in line to the throne and becomes the Prince of Cambridge. (Photo by John Stillwell\/WPA-Pool\/Getty Images)
Photographer: WPA Pool
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe<\/p>\n

\"DukeCaption: Duke of Cambridge holding his son Prince George, at his christening at the Chapel Royal in St James\u2019s Palace, aged three months. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex???s baby son Archie is expected to be baptised in the royal christening gown. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday July 5, 2019. The replica of the intricate lace and satin gown made for Queen Victoria???s eldest daughter has been used for royal infants for the last 11 years. See PA story ROYAL Christening. Photo credit should read: John Stillwell\/PA Wire
Photographer: John Stillwell
Provider: PA
Source: PA
Copyright: PA<\/p>\n

\"FileCaption: File photo dated 13\/6\/2015 of from left, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, Prince George, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Harry on the balcony at Buckingham Palace following Trooping the Colour at Horse Guards Parade, London. Following the death of The Queen, Charles, who was the Prince of Wales, is now King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and also King of other Commonwealth realms. Camilla is, as the wife of the King, the Queen. The Duke of Cambridge, as heir to the throne, is now the Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge. And the Duchess of Cambridge is now the Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge. Issue date: Thursday September 8, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story DEATH Queen Titles. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady\/PA Wire
Photographer: Jonathan Brady
Provider: PA
Source: PA<\/p>\n

His first school day, the Queen\u2019s funeral and King Charles\u2019s coronation<\/p>\n

\"PrinceCaption: Prince George arrives with the Duke of Cambridge at Thomas\u2019s Battersea in London, as he starts his first day of school. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday September 7, 2017. See PA story ROYAL George. Photo credit should read: Richard Pohle\/The Times\/PA Wire
Photographer: Richard Pohle\/The Times
Provider: PA
Source: PA
Copyright: TIMES NEWSPAPERS<\/p>\n

\"PACaption: PA REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2022<\/p>\n

File photo dated 19\/09\/22 \u2013 Prince George, in the Ceremonial Procession following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, London. Issue date: Tuesday December 20, 2022. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Tim Goode\/PA Wire <\/p>\n

Photographer: Tim Goode
Provider: PA
Source: PA<\/p>\n

\"CORRECTIONCaption: CORRECTION \/ TOPSHOT \u2013 Britain\u2019s Prince George of Wales (L) points next to another page, as they stand on the Buckingham Palace in London, following the coronations of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, on May 6, 2023. \u2013 The set-piece coronation is the first in Britain in 70 years, and only the second in history to be televised. Charles will be the 40th reigning monarch to be crowned at the central London church since King William I in 1066. Outside the UK, he is also king of 14 other Commonwealth countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Camilla, his second wife, will be crowned queen alongside him, and be known as Queen Camilla after the ceremony. (Photo by Leon Neal \/ POOL \/ AFP) \/ \u201cThe erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Leon Neal has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [points next to another page] instead of [points next to Freddy Parker Bowles ]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.\u201d (Photo by LEON NEAL\/POOL\/AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: LEON NEAL
Provider: POOL\/AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP<\/p>\n

Change on the horizon<\/p>\n

This year marks another change for George. He is set to enrol at Eton College this autumn. The school educated his father and uncle, Prince Harry, along with other notable alumni.<\/p>\n

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LIFESTYLE<\/p>\n

5 min read<\/p>\n

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NEWS<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

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@theipaper<\/a> <\/p>\n

OPINION | \u201cHallelujah! We seem to have reached the interval in the royal pantomime,\u201d writes Jennie Bond. \u201cTime for a cool down and an ice cream. After all the \u2018Yes he will\u2019 (stay at the Palace)\u2026 \u2018Oh no he won\u2019t\u2019; and \u2018Yes they will\u2019 (meet the King)\u2026 \u2018Oh no they won\u2019t\u2019, could it be that the royals are progressing from soap opera, through farce to an interlude of quiet, if hesitant, harmony?\u201d Read more at the link above to read why Bond believes this weekend could be a make-or-break moment for Harry and the King \u2b06\ufe0f #PrinceHarry<\/a> #KingCharles<\/a> #MeghanMarkle<\/a> #RoyalFamily<\/a> #PrincessDiana<\/a><\/p>\n

\u266c original sound \u2013 The i Paper \u2013 The i Paper<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"CloseWeight loss jabs may also help people cut down on booze (Photo: Henri Leduc\/ Getty Images\/ Moment RF)<\/p>\n

HEALTH<\/p>\n

Weight-loss drugs could cut alcohol-related hospital admissions<\/p>\n

Weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro could reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related hospital admissions.<\/p>\n

Although the drugs are primarily used to treat diabetes and obesity by mimicking hormones to regulate blood sugar and reduce appetite, they may also be used to help those dependent on alcohol, a study suggests. <\/p>\n

What the study found<\/p>\n

Experts analysed alcohol-related hospital admissions for 40,703 people who had started either semaglutide or tirzepatide, which includes Ozempic and Mounjaro, between 2018 and 2024.<\/p>\n

The drugs cut the risk of alcohol-related hospital admission by 26 per cent compared with other diabetes medicines.<\/p>\n

They lowered the risk by more than 60 per cent among type 2 diabetics and obese people with alcohol problems.<\/p>\n

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NEWS<\/p>\n

4 min read<\/p>\n

The expert view<\/p>\n

Researchers said the findings, published in the journal BMJ Open, \u201cmay suggest a potential role\u201d for the medications for treating alcohol use disorder, although further research is needed.<\/p>\n

Colin Angus, professor of alcohol policy at Sheffield University Addictions Research Group, said: \u201cThis looks like a reasonable study that adds to a growing body of evidence that GLP-1s may reduce alcohol-related harm.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Young obese women are driving an increase in type 2 diabetes <\/p>\n

A new study found a rise in the number of young adults with type 2 diabetes, and they tend to be more overweight at the point of diagnosis than older people.<\/p>\n

\"WeeklyWeekly injections of GLP-1 receptor agonist for improved glucose regulation in type 2 diabetes \u2013 stock photo. (Photo: Getty)<\/p>\n

A closer look at the study<\/p>\n

The research, published in Lancet Regional Health Europe, showed that incidence of type 2 diabetes is falling in older adults, although they still make up most new cases.<\/p>\n

It is rising rapidly in people younger than 40, particularly women.<\/p>\n

The increase was particularly noticeable in white, Asian and Black women aged 20 to 29, and in white women aged 30 to 39.<\/p>\n

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LIFESTYLE<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

What do the figures show? <\/p>\n

69%<\/p>\n

The rise in age-standardised incidence of type 2 diabetes in women aged 20 to 29.<\/p>\n

It also rose 43 per cent for men aged 20 to 29.<\/p>\n

This contrasts to a decline in incidence of 7 per cent in men and 4 per cent in women aged 60 to 79. <\/p>\n

\nBody weight is impacting the rise\n<\/p>\n

The study showed the increase in body mass index (BMI) over time among younger people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes was around double that seen in older adults.<\/p>\n

\"DiabetologistDiabetologist doctor waiting for result from glucose testing in diabetes clinic. \u2013 stock photo. (Photo: Getty)<\/p>\n

\"EMBARGOEDCaption: EMBARGOED TO 2330 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 7<\/p>\n

Picture posed by a model. File photo dated 03\/03\/14 of someone using a set of weighing scales. People on fat loss jabs need ongoing support, researchers have said, after a major study found they put all the weight back on much faster than traditional dieters. Researchers from the University of Oxford discovered that people on drugs including semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) lose weight during treatment but, on average, regain it within 20 months of stopping the jabs. Issue date: Wednesday January 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Chris Radburn\/PA Wire
Photographer: Chris Radburn
Provider: Chris Radburn\/PA Wire
Source: PA Wire<\/p>\n

This suggests that successive generations of younger adults are developing type 2 diabetes at increasingly severe levels of obesity. <\/p>\n

Risks to lives <\/p>\n

The rise in type 2 diabetes among younger adults is deeply concerning. Any diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is serious, but it can be more aggressive in younger people, increasing the risk of devastating complications and cutting lives short. <\/p>\n

helen kirrane, head of policy, campaigns and mobilisation at diabetes uk<\/p>\n

\"DoctorCaption: Doctor measuring teen patient\u2019s blood pressure. Examining hypertension in diabetic teenage girl. Girl visiting paediatrician for annual preventive examination, check-up.
Photographer: Halfpoint Images
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n

environment<\/p>\n

Puffling sighting gives hope to Dorset\u2019s colony<\/p>\n

Caption: EMBARGOED TO 0001 WEDNESDAY 22 JULY
Undated handout photo issued by the National Trust of a rare glimpse of a young puffin emerging from its nest at Dancing Ledge. For the first time in 30 years, volunteers monitoring the puffin colony in Purbeck have a confirmed sighting of a puffin fledgling \u2013 known as a puffling \u2013 on the cliffs near the National Trust\u2019s Dancing Ledge. The puffling was peeping out from a deep crevice on the sheer cliff, where the last breeding colony of puffins on mainland England\u2019s south coast is clinging to survival.
The sighting followed more than 15 weeks of monitoring by the volunteers as they watched the adult puffins courting, mating, carrying nesting material and, since late-May, repeatedly delivering fish to the nests hidden deep within the crevice and has given conservationists fresh hope for the future of Dorset\u2019s dwindling puffin population. Issue date: Wednesday July 22, 2026. PA Photo. See PA story ENVIRONMENT Puffling. Photo credit should read: National Trust\/Martin Shaw\/PA Wire <\/p>\n

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: National Trust\/Martin Shaw
Provider: National Trust\/Martin Shaw\/PA Wire
Source: PA<\/p>\n

A rare view of a young puffin coming out of its nest has filled conservationists with new hope about the future of Dorset\u2019s declining puffin population. <\/p>\n

A long wait <\/p>\n

For the first time in 30 years, volunteers monitoring the puffin colony in Perbeck have a confirmed sighting of a puffling \u2013 a puffin fledgling \u2013 on the cliffs near to the National Trust\u2019s Dancing Ledge.<\/p>\n

The puffling was looking out from a crevice in the cliff.<\/p>\n

This is where the last breeding colony of puffins on mainland England\u2019s south coast is holding onto survival.<\/p>\n

The sighting comes after over 15 weeks of monitoring by the volunteers, who watched the adult puffins courting, mating, carrying nesting material, and delivering fish to the nests. <\/p>\n

Fresh hope<\/p>\n

With only three breeding pairs remaining, every chick matters. One puffling alone won\u2019t save this colony, but one is a whole lot better news than none.<\/p>\n

Dr Richard Caldow, an expert in seabird ecology, led the monitoring project and was supported by volunteers from the Purbeck Natural History Forum. The puffling is estimated to be between 38 and 40 days old.<\/p>\n

\"ThreePuffins are my favourite birds (Photo:: Gunnar Orn Arnason\/Getty Images\/Moment RF)<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for the puffling?<\/p>\n

The puffling is expected to leave the ledge and its parents during the night and spend the several years alone at sea. <\/p>\n

If it survives, it may return to Purbeck at around two years old, although puffins do not usually breed until around age four. In April, six adult puffins were recorded at the colony.<\/p>\n

Caption: EMBARGOED TO 0001 WEDNESDAY 22 JULY
Undated handout photo issued by the National Trust of a rare glimpse of a young puffin emerging from its nest at Dancing Ledge. For the first time in 30 years, volunteers monitoring the puffin colony in Purbeck have a confirmed sighting of a puffin fledgling \u2013 known as a puffling \u2013 on the cliffs near the National Trust\u2019s Dancing Ledge. The puffling was peeping out from a deep crevice on the sheer cliff, where the last breeding colony of puffins on mainland England\u2019s south coast is clinging to survival.
The sighting followed more than 15 weeks of monitoring by the volunteers as they watched the adult puffins courting, mating, carrying nesting material and, since late-May, repeatedly delivering fish to the nests hidden deep within the crevice and has given conservationists fresh hope for the future of Dorset\u2019s dwindling puffin population. Issue date: Wednesday July 22, 2026. PA Photo. See PA story ENVIRONMENT Puffling. Photo credit should read: National Trust\/Martin Shaw\/PA Wire <\/p>\n

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: National Trust\/Martin Shaw
Provider: National Trust\/Martin Shaw\/PA Wire
Source: PA<\/p>\n

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Plug-in batteries are portable energy storage units that can be plugged into a socket without any household rewiring.<\/p>\n

They work by drawing electricity through the socket \u2013 typically during the off-peak period of a time-of-use tariff \u2013 and then discharging back through the same socket to offset demand at times when electricity is more expensive, cutting a household\u2019s bills.<\/p>\n

The batteries come in a range of sizes and costs, retailing from about \u00a3500. According to Regen, a not-for-profit company which promotes clean energy, some units can pay back within two-and-a-half-years. They are significantly cheaper than conventional batteries, where the labour costs alone can run to \u00a31,000 or more.<\/p>\n

Multiple sources told The i Paper that subsidised plug-in batteries were among a list of proposals worked up earlier this summer during an exercise by DESNZ and the Nesta innovation charity aimed at accelerating the delivery of then energy secretary Ed Miliband\u2019s Warm Homes plan.<\/p>\n

The exercise \u2013 dubbed a \u201csprint\u201d by DESNZ officials \u2013 considered a range of options for swiftly cutting energy bills. A sector source said that the process was launched as a response to the spike in energy prices from the US-Israeli war with Iran and a desire within the Government to \u201cpiggyback on the massive increase in demand there\u2019s been for things like solar panels and batteries\u201d.<\/p>\n

The source said that Miliband \u201csaw a big opportunity\u201d in plug-in batteries. Another industry source said there was \u201chuge appetite\u201d in government for the technology.<\/p>\n

A government source confirmed that DESNZ had drawn up the proposal, saying that plug-in batteries were \u201cattractive\u201d because \u201cthey\u2019re so easy to deploy\u201d.<\/p>\n

It is not clear yet what families would be eligible for the devices, though there has previously been an expectation under the Warm Homes plan<\/a> that grants would be offered to households with a total income of around \u00a335,000 or less.<\/p>\n

Households in England with an income of less than \u00a336,000, living in eligible postcodes, or receiving means-tested benefits are already eligible for home upgrades to help cut energy bills, such as heat pumps and solar panels. There are typically further conditions such as owning your home, renting from a private landlord, or having a specific energy rating.<\/p>\n

The i Paper understands that DESNZ has held conversations with the Crown Commercial Agency \u2013 the government\u2019s procurement arm \u2013 about the bulk-buying idea. GB Energy \u2013 the publicly owned energy investment company \u2013 has also been discussed as a potential vehicle for rolling out the units.<\/p>\n

A decision about whether to press ahead with the idea will now have to be taken by the new Energy Secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh.<\/p>\n

However, the sector source said that it aligned with Andy Burnham\u2019s cost of living focus<\/a>, which has already seen the Government announce the removal of VAT on household electricity bills<\/a> and the reinstatement of the \u00a32 cap on bus fares<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe politics does fit with the Burnham agenda,\u201d they said. \u201cIt also fits with the devolution stuff<\/a> quite nicely because fundamentally it would be local authorities on the hook for delivering it.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, as with plug-in solar panels<\/a>, plug-in batteries are not currently permitted in Great Britain because existing wiring regulations were not designed for appliances to discharge power back into household circuits. <\/p>\n

The government source confirmed that as with plug-in solar, DESNZ would have to conduct a safety study and then update the regulations, meaning that it will be some time before the devices could be rolled out.<\/p>\n

The Government\u2019s immediate focus is approving plug-in solar, which as The i Paper reported earlier this month is expected to happen in August<\/a>.<\/p>\n

DESNZ told The i Paper that batteries raised further technical and regulatory questions but confirmed that it is building the evidence base around the products.<\/p>\n

A DESNZ spokesperson said: \u201cWe\u2019ve cut VAT on electricity to give families breathing space. The Energy Secretary\u2019s focus is working to bring bills down for good.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we are rolling out plug-in solar, which will be quickest to reach the market \u2013 helping to bring bills down for good.\u201d<\/p>\n

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