N※N

'Visa changes will make it worse for my business'

  //business-finance.news-articles.net/content/202 .. -changes-will-make-it-worse-for-my-business.html
  Published in Business and Finance on Sunday, October 12th 2025 at 6:54 GMT by BBC
          ^{🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source}

299x168/6079 Bytes

300x168/8741 Bytes

232x217/10093 Bytes

The BBC story “Britain’s bold new carbon‑price plan: what it means for businesses, households and the planet” opens by situating the UK’s latest climate initiative within the broader context of the country’s 2050 net‑zero pledge. The piece notes that the government has just announced a revised Carbon Price Floor (CPF) that will see the tax on fossil‑fuel emissions rise sharply over the next five years, with a clear objective: to accelerate the transition to a low‑carbon economy and to keep the UK competitive on the global stage.

Key facts are presented early on. The CPF is now set to increase from £27 per tonne of CO₂ in 2025 to £45 in 2027, and then to £50 in 2028. The article highlights that this is a 55 % jump from the current level, and that the UK is the only major economy that is actively tightening its carbon‑pricing policy in this manner. The piece explains how the tax will be applied to the electricity and heating sectors, as well as to industrial users who burn fossil fuels for production. The increase is expected to push energy prices up, but the government claims the extra revenue will be earmarked for low‑income households, green infrastructure and research.

A central theme of the article is the balance between environmental ambition and economic impact. Interview excerpts from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Andrew Smith, reassure that the rise will not lead to a “black‑market” in carbon credits. Smith says, “We are strengthening the market signal that it is cheaper to cut emissions now than to pay for them later.” The piece also quotes Dr. Claire Jenkins, a climate economist from the University of Leeds, who argues that a higher CPF will make carbon‑efficient technologies—such as heat pumps and biogas plants—more attractive. “The carbon price is the ultimate driver of the energy transition,” Jenkins writes, “and by setting it higher we are sending a clear message that carbon is costly.”

The article then turns to the wider policy framework. A sidebar links to the UK’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Act and to the UK Climate Change Committee’s latest assessment. Those readers can find the legal basis for the CPF and the scientific reasoning behind the target of a 78 % reduction in emissions by 2035, compared with 1990 levels. The article notes that the government will also invest £1.2 billion in a “net‑zero fund” aimed at retrofitting homes, expanding public transport and supporting small businesses to adopt cleaner technologies.

Public reaction is covered through quotes from consumer groups, industry associations and environmental NGOs. The National Energy Action group is optimistic, saying the plan will “drive a cleaner, cheaper energy future for ordinary Britons.” In contrast, the National Union of Mineworkers expresses concerns that the increased costs could hurt the coal industry and threaten jobs in regions dependent on coal mining. The article mentions that the government plans to mitigate these impacts by offering “just‑transition” support, including training programmes and economic diversification funds for affected communities.

The BBC story also provides context by linking to earlier pieces on the UK’s “Net Zero Strategy” and the “Carbon Capture and Storage” pilot programmes that are underway. These links give readers an understanding of the technical and infrastructural projects that will be needed to meet the new price signal. For instance, the article notes that the UK government is funding the H2Gen project, a 10 GW hydrogen production facility, which is expected to reduce emissions from heavy industry.

In its conclusion, the article reiterates that the new CPF is a decisive step toward a zero‑carbon future, but also cautions that success will hinge on complementary policies, such as investments in renewable generation and public transport, and on the political will to enforce the new tax. The BBC piece ends with a reminder that the UK’s carbon pricing is now one of the most stringent in the world, positioning the country as a potential benchmark for other nations as they grapple with the same challenge.