Business
Lower standing charge tariffs set to be available by end of January, says Ofgem
Energy suppliers will be made to offer at least one tariff with lower standing charges as soon as January under plans confirmed by the industry regulator, but it ditched proposals to remove the fixed costs entirely for some deals.
Ofgem said it wants to give consumers more choice on how they pay standing charges, with the plans set to allow households to pay the costs as part of their unit rate by lowering the daily fixed amount.
If given the go-ahead, the new tariffs could be available by the end of January.
Standing charges are applied daily, regardless of how much energy the customer uses, and are used to cover the cost of supplying energy to homes and businesses.
They also cover the costs of building new network infrastructure and keeping the power on when energy suppliers go bust.
Campaigners say they are unfair because everybody pays the same rate, meaning they make up a far higher proportion of bills for people using less energy.
Ofgem stressed these charges cannot be removed entirely and that they can only be moved from one part of the bill to another, which means they are unlikely to mean lower energy costs.
It said it dropped earlier plans for tariffs with zero standing charges and much higher unit rates, as this could have unfairly impacted consumers with high energy needs, such as those who rely on power for medical reasons.
It is also looking to introduce a minimum usage on to the new tariffs so that those with second homes or properties left vacant for long periods do not disproportionately benefit.
Ofgem is now launching one final consultation on the plans, with aims to make a decision by the end of the year, paving the way for the new tariffs to be available to everyone across Britain by the end of January.
Tim Jarvis, director general of markets at Ofgem, said: “We’ve listened to thousands of consumers that wanted to see changes to the standing charge and taken action.
“We have carefully considered how we can offer more choice on how they pay these fixed costs, however we have taken care to ensure we don’t make some customers worse off.
“After examining all the options available to us, we believe that the right way forward is to require all major suppliers to offer at least one tariff with a lower standing charge.
“This will deliver the choice we know customers want, without having a detrimental impact on customers that have high energy needs.”
But he added: “We cannot remove these charges, we can only move costs around.
“These changes would give households the choice they have asked for, but it’s important that everyone carefully considers what’s right for them as these tariffs are unlikely to reduce bills on their own.”
It comes ahead of a 2% rise in energy costs when the next price cap change takes effect on October 1, which will see the bill for a typical household rise from £1,720 to £1,755 a year.
Martin McCluskey, minister for energy consumers, said: “Consumers should have freedom and choice when choosing an energy tariff that works for them.
“This proposal will make more tariffs available on the market, giving people more options to pay lower standing charges if that suits their needs.”
Ofgem said the new lower standing charge tariff mandate would be likely to only be a short-term measure while it moots permanent changes to allocate costs within the system, as the UK shifts towards renewable energy.
Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said it was a “small step forward” and called on the industry to make sure that households “properly understand the deals they are signing up for”.
“This development doesn’t negate the need for long-term reform to make the system fairer,” he added.
Business
Bonus, Dividend & Split: Power Grid, Godfrey, Garden Reach Among 40 Shares In Focus This Week
Last Updated:
Over 40 companies, including Bayer CropScience, Nuvama Wealth Management, and Power Grid Corporation, will see dividends, bonus issues, or stock splits.
Power Grid Corporation, Astral Ltd, Garden Reach Shipbuilders among 40 shares to trade ex-date this week.
Bonus, Dividend & Stock Split: Shares of several listed companies will remain in focus among investors this week for various corporate actions, including dividend, bonus and stock split. Between November 10 and November 15, 2025, more than 40 firms will trade ex-dividend and ex-date for bonus or stock split.
Among the big names, Bayer CropScience will distribute an interim dividend of Rs 90 per share, the highest in this round. Nuvama Wealth Management follows with Rs 70 per share, while Ajanta Pharma, Godfrey Phillips India, and Great Eastern Shipping will reward shareholders with Rs 28, Rs 17, and Rs 7.2 per share respectively.
Blue-chip firms like Power Grid Corporation, Astral Ltd, Garden Reach Shipbuilders, and Chambal Fertilisers have also declared interim dividends in the range of Rs 4.5–5.75 per share.
Other notable payers include Sasken Technologies (Rs 12), Garware Technical Fibres (Rs 8), Kaveri Seed Company (Rs 5), and D-Link India (Rs 6).
Infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs) such as PowerGrid InvIT, Indus Infra Trust, and Anzen India Energy Yield Plus Trust have also announced income distributions during the period.
Bonus And Stock Split Rush
Investors can also look forward to corporate actions like bonus issues and stock splits this week. Sampre Nutritions Ltd have announced a stock split from Rs 10 to Rs 5 face value and a 1:1 bonus issue. SMC Global Securities has also declared a 1:1 bonus issue, while Websol Energy System goes for a stock split from Rs 10 to Rs 1.
Disclaimer: The views and investment tips by experts in this News18.com report are their own and not those of the website or its management. Users are advised to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst…Read More
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst… Read More
November 09, 2025, 09:09 IST
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Scotland’s Finance Secretary has requested an urgent meeting with the Chancellor amid reports she will raise taxes in her Budget this month.
Shona Robison set out what she said were three tests Rachel Reeves must meet when she delivers her tax and spending plans on November 26.
They include ditching her fiscal rules and delivering investment “to grow the economy and support people with the cost of living”, ensuring “every penny” raised from any tax rises is reinvested in public services with consequential funding to Scotland and a promise the Budget will not amount to austerity and cuts for Holyrood.
It comes after a pre-Budget speech from the Chancellor in which she failed to rule out tax rises, warning she will have to make “necessary choices” after the “world has thrown more challenges our way”.
Reports later suggested the Chancellor could raise income tax. The Fraser of Allander Institute has estimated a 2p hike could cut Scotland’s budget by £1 billion.
The Finance Secretary said: “The Chancellor’s unexpected Downing Street speech has fuelled speculation and piled uncertainty on uncertainty about Labour tax hikes in the upcoming UK Budget, with a potential price tag of £1 billion for Scotland.
“Let me be clear: Scotland should not be left paying the price for Labour’s broken promises.”
Ms Robison said last year’s Budget was a “disaster” for the Chancellor, “taxing jobs, (the) vulnerable and doing nothing on child poverty”.
She said she had requested an urgent meeting with her, where she would set out her three tests.
She said: “This year, I am setting three tests the UK Budget must meet – and the first is that the Chancellor must ditch her outdated, restrictive fiscal rules. The era in which these rules were set is over and Rachel Reeves must face up to the new reality.
“And crucially, every single penny raised from any Labour tax rises must be invested into public services with consequential funding for Scotland.
“Rachel Reeves must also confirm that Scotland will not see our funding cut as a result of Labour decisions.
“They came to office promising an end to austerity, so to impose it on Scotland would be a political betrayal from which Labour would never recover.
“I have requested an urgent meeting with the Chancellor and will be clear to her that her Budget must meet these three key tests.
“But the chaos and confusion coming out of the UK Government this week is just confirmation that Scotland shouldn’t be leaving crucial decisions about our finances in the hands of incompetent Westminster governments – these decisions should be in Scotland’s hands, with the fresh start of independence.”
An HM Treasury spokesperson said: “Our record funding settlement for Scotland will mean over 20% more funding per head than the rest of the UK.
“We have also confirmed £8.3 billion in funding for GB Energy-Nuclear and GB Energy in Aberdeen, up to £750 million for a new supercomputer at Edinburgh University, and are investing £452 million over four years for City and Growth Deals across Scotland.
“This investment is all possible because our fiscal rules are non-negotiable, they are the basis of the stability which underpins growth.”
KARACHI:
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) and the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) have agreed to strengthen cooperation for Pakistan’s economic revival.
During a meeting held at KCCI on Saturday, KCCI President Rehan Hanif and LCCI President Faheemur Rehman Saigol said that Pakistan had great potential despite facing serious challenges, but cautioned that poor policies and neglect of the private sector could make the economic situation worse.
Saigol stressed that Pakistan’s economy continued to survive only because of its immense potential as the country was blessed with abundant natural and human resources not found elsewhere in the region. However, he lamented that “the real problem lies in mismanagement of these resources”.
“With a population of 240 million, Pakistan has a huge consumer market. However, instead of promoting local industries and encouraging import substitution, our policies have increased the country’s trade deficit,” he said.
The LCCI chief explained that the main purpose of his visit to KCCI was to ensure that business communities of Karachi and Lahore were on the same page. “Our strength lies in securing a rightful share in policymaking. Legislation must be framed in consultation with the business community, which is the actual stakeholder and understands how tax collection targets can be effectively achieved,” he said.
He invited KCCI office-bearers to visit LCCI, stating that such an exchange would help establish a historic and much-needed liaison between the two leading chambers. “Only through a unified voice, we can expect to get our issues resolved,” he affirmed.
Businessmen Group Vice Chairman Anjum Nisar emphasised that a unified stance would compel the government to address legitimate concerns.
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