Rising Block Tariffs: A Progressive Social Tariff or Damaging to Vulnerable Consumers?

The UK is seeing renewed interest in social energy tariffs as a route to providing more predictable and adequate support to households struggling with high energy costs. As part of a UKERC project on social and flexible tariffs, this brief assesses how different tariff designs, namely direct bill support, unit price discounts and rising block tariffs, can improve affordability while remaining deliverable and aligned with wider energy system goals.