UK Met Office-Winter Likely To Be Colder Than Usual

The UK's Meteorological Office has issued its seasonal forecast, which states that it believes this winter is likely to be colder than usual. This is likely to cause some notable concern for the gov't, given the significant rise in energy prices charged to households and businesses in recent months, as well as the sizeable gov't support scheme in place to alleviate these pressures.

• A very mild autumn in the UK (and the rest of Europe) has allowed for stockpiling of gas reserves ahead of winter. However, the UK's relatively small storage capacity means reliance on renewables, LNG, and power provided via interconnectors from the continent.
• Politically, a cold winter risks a season of difficult headlines for the gov't. The upcoming autumn statement on 17 November is already viewed as likely to engage in cuts to gov't spending and public services. If this comes at the same time as rising energy bills spurred by a colder-than-usual winter it could put pressure on the gov't to boost the support scheme further.