Nearly one million people in Scotland could face further pressure on their energy bills following the UK Government’s Budget, with new analysis raising concerns about the impact on households that use more gas.

Figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, highlighted by the SNP on Friday 30 October, suggest more than 800,000 Scots could face higher gas costs under proposed changes to standing charges.

The Labour Government plans to remove fixed daily standing charges from domestic gas bills across Great Britain, transferring those costs into the price charged for each unit of gas consumed.

While households using less gas could benefit, those with higher consumption may find themselves paying more.

This raises particular concerns in Scotland, where colder weather and greater heating requirements can make reducing gas consumption difficult.

The analysis identifies six Scottish local authority areas where average gas usage exceeds the threshold expected to determine whether households benefit or lose out.

However, the final arrangements have not been confirmed, and the changes are not expected to take effect until 2027 or later.

The SNP has also highlighted approximately 142,000 Scots who rely on heating oil, arguing that these households face rising costs without equivalent support from the Budget.

Heating oil is not affected by the proposed gas standing charge reforms, making it a separate concern for households outside the mains gas network.

The geographical difference in heating demand has also attracted attention following YouGov polling published on Thursday.

According to the figures cited by the SNP, 84% of Scots had already switched on their heating this year, compared with 59% of Londoners.

The UK Government maintains that removing standing charges will make energy bills fairer, particularly for households with lower gas consumption.

It has also indicated that targeted protection will be considered for vulnerable households that cannot avoid higher energy usage.

SNP Westminster Leader Dave Doogan MP challenged the proposals.

“The short read of the Labour government’s budget is that once again energy bills will go up for families in energy-rich Scotland and now independent analysis spells that out as plain as day.

“One million Scots are staring down the barrel of even higher energy bills so that the British government can subsidise the costs of energy bills in warmer parts of the UK.

“There is a very simple injustice that Scots know all too well.

“Scotland produces the vast majority of oil and gas in the UK, and more than a third of renewable energy generation, yet under Westminster control we are forced to pay the highest energy bills in Europe.

“An injustice to which Westminster has no answer.

“Let’s not forget, Scottish voters were told the Labour Party would cut energy bills by £300.

“It is now on them to explain why bills will soon be more than £1000 higher than promised and why they have just asked those hit hardest in Scotland to pay even more to subsidise other parts of the UK.

“The UK Labour Government tried to pull the wool over the eyes of Scots, but no amount of trickery can hide the sky-high bills that will drop through people’s letter boxes this winter.

“This is a national scandal that can only be addressed through a fresh start with independence, when we put Scotland’s energy in Scotland’s hands and put our vast resources to work for our people.”

The central question is whether the eventual savings for lower gas users will outweigh the additional costs faced by households with greater heating needs, particularly across Scotland’s colder communities.

Until the detailed pricing arrangements and protections are published, the number of households that will ultimately pay more remains uncertain.