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Energy prices: What is a windfall tax and how would it work? Energy prices: What is a windfall tax and how would it work?
(12 days later)
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has threatened energy companies with a windfall tax if they don't invest enough in new projects. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said "no option is off the table" in response to calls for a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.
Treasury officials have been told to examine a potential tax, a source said. Opposition parties are calling for a one-off tax after BP and Shell both reported big increases in profits as oil and gas prices surge around the world.
There were renewed calls for a one-off tax on energy companies after BP and Shell both reported big increases in profits as oil and gas prices surge around the world.
Labour has been calling for a windfall tax on oil and gas companies in the North Sea to help households and energy-intensive industries cope with higher fuel bills.
BP profits soar as calls for windfall tax growBP profits soar as calls for windfall tax grow
Shell profits nearly triple as oil prices surgeShell profits nearly triple as oil prices surge
What is a windfall tax?What is a windfall tax?
A windfall tax is a one-off tax imposed by a government on a company or group of companies.A windfall tax is a one-off tax imposed by a government on a company or group of companies.
The idea is to target firms that were lucky enough to benefit from something they were not responsible for - in other words, a windfall.The idea is to target firms that were lucky enough to benefit from something they were not responsible for - in other words, a windfall.
An example of such a windfall would be high energy prices. Companies that get oil and gas out of the ground are getting much more money for it than they were last year, partly because demand has increased as the world emerges from the pandemic and partly because of supply concerns due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Companies that get oil and gas out of the ground are getting much more money for it than they were last year, partly because demand has increased as the world emerges from the pandemic and partly because of supply concerns due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Spain and Italy have already announced a windfall tax on energy companies.Spain and Italy have already announced a windfall tax on energy companies.
How countries are dealing with rising pricesHow countries are dealing with rising prices
How much have the energy companies been making?How much have the energy companies been making?
BP's underlying profit more than doubled in the first quarter to $6.2bn (£4.9bn) in the first three months of the year, although this was cancelled out by money written off as a result of its decision to exit from its investments in Russian oil companies following the invasion of Ukraine. BP's underlying profit more than doubled to $6.2bn (£4.9bn) in the first three months of the year, although this was cancelled out by money written off as a result of its decision to exit from its investments in Russian oil firms following the invasion of Ukraine.
Shell's profits nearly tripled in the same period $9.13bn (£7.3bn), its biggest ever quarterly profit. But the firm said that pulling out of Russian oil and gas had cost it $3.9bn (£3.1bn).Shell's profits nearly tripled in the same period $9.13bn (£7.3bn), its biggest ever quarterly profit. But the firm said that pulling out of Russian oil and gas had cost it $3.9bn (£3.1bn).
BP and Shell have both spent billions recently on what are called share buybacks, which is what companies do when they have money they can afford to spend on boosting their share price.BP and Shell have both spent billions recently on what are called share buybacks, which is what companies do when they have money they can afford to spend on boosting their share price.
They also pay relatively high dividends, which are the other way companies distribute their profits to shareholders.They also pay relatively high dividends, which are the other way companies distribute their profits to shareholders.
What has the government said? What are politicians saying?
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Sunak said he was not "naturally attracted" to the idea of a windfall tax, but he was "pragmatic" about introducing one. Although Mr Johnson has previously said a windfall tax would deter investment, the government is not ruling one out if firms do not invest enough in new projects. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he is not "naturally attracted" to the policy, but is "pragmatic" about introducing it.
"What I want to see is significant investment back into the UK economy to support jobs, to support energy security, and I want to see that investment soon. We cannot rule out a windfall tax, says minister
"And if that doesn't happen, then no options are off the table."
Rishi Sunak threatens energy firms with windfall taxRishi Sunak threatens energy firms with windfall tax
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had previously ruled out a windfall tax, telling Good Morning Britain on 3 May: "If you put a windfall tax on the energy companies what that means is that you discourage them from making the investments that we want to see that in the end will keep energy prices lower for everybody." Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP all back the measure.
But on 12 May he told LBC radio the government would "have to look" at the proposal if not enough investment was made. Critics of a windfall tax point out that it might affect the money paid out to pensioners by some pension funds - as these funds benefit from the profits of big oil companies. If private pension funds own shares in them, they get some of the profits through dividends.
Critics of a windfall tax point out that many pension funds benefit from the profits of big oil companies. Some private pension funds own shares in them, which means they get some of the profits through dividends. But it is important not to overstate the impact of this. Pension funds have diverse holdings across countries, industries and indeed between things like shares and bonds, so a tax on a few large companies would be unlikely to make a noticeable difference to them.
The companies also employ thousands of people and support thousands of other jobs in the UK.
What has Labour said?
Labour leader Keir Starmer told MPs on 27 April: "North Sea oil producers are making so much unexpected profit that they call themselves 'a cash machine'. That cash could be used to keep energy bills down."
Labour proposed an increase of 10 percentage points on corporation tax (tax paid on profits) for North Sea oil and gas producers, in the year beginning in April.
It said this would raise £1.2bn, which could be used to help households struggling to cope with a 54% rise in energy bills from April.
The Liberal Democrats also support a windfall tax, with leader Ed Davey saying energy companies should "pay a little more to help the most vulnerable". The SNP and the Green Party also back such a tax.
Would a windfall tax affect investment?Would a windfall tax affect investment?
BP plans to spend a maximum of £18bn on the UK's energy system by the end of 2030.BP plans to spend a maximum of £18bn on the UK's energy system by the end of 2030.
Chief executive Bernard Looney was asked by The Times on 3 May which of BP's planned UK investments would not go ahead if there were a windfall tax.Chief executive Bernard Looney was asked by The Times on 3 May which of BP's planned UK investments would not go ahead if there were a windfall tax.
Bernard Looney replied: "there are none that we wouldn't do."Bernard Looney replied: "there are none that we wouldn't do."
Shell plans to spend between £20bn and £25bn on UK energy over the next 10 years. Shell plans to spend £20-25bn on UK energy over the next 10 years.
Have we had windfall taxes in the UK before?Have we had windfall taxes in the UK before?
The best-known windfall tax in the UK was announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown in his first Budget in 1997. The UK's best-known windfall tax was in 1997, when Labour Chancellor Gordon Brown placed the tax on companies formed after the Conservative governments' earlier privatisation of nationalised industries, including BT, Scottish Power and United Utilities.
The companies paying the tax were those that had been privatised since 1979 by previous Conservative governments, including: The tax raised £5.2bn over two years (£8.7bn in today's money) according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
power utilities such as Scottish Power Conservative Chancellor Geoffrey Howe imposed a similar levy on banks in 1981, arguing they had benefited from high interest rates. He also imposed a special tax on North Sea oil and gas firms.
water and sewerage firms such as United Utilities
the telephone company BT
the airports operator BAA
1997: Gordon Brown announced a windfall tax in his first budget1997: Gordon Brown announced a windfall tax in his first budget
Labour argued that they had all been undervalued at privatisation. The windfall tax was calculated as the difference between the price at which the government sold them, and a market valuation based on profits in the four years after their sale.
The tax raised £5.2bn over two years, (£8.7bn in today's money) according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Windfall taxes haven't only been a Labour policy. In 1981, Conservative Chancellor Geoffrey Howe imposed a similar levy on the banks.
He argued that they had benefited from high interest rates, which had been raised to 17% in November 1979, although they were cut to 12% the day after the 1981 Budget.
Mr Howe later imposed a special tax on North Sea oil and gas companies.
How much tax do oil companies pay?How much tax do oil companies pay?
Oil and gas firms operating in the North Sea are already taxed differently to other firms.Oil and gas firms operating in the North Sea are already taxed differently to other firms.
Taxes on their profits are higher, but they also have bigger capital allowances, which means they can pay less tax if they are investing money.Taxes on their profits are higher, but they also have bigger capital allowances, which means they can pay less tax if they are investing money.
They pay 30% corporation tax on their profits and a supplementary 10% rate on top of that. Other companies pay corporation tax at 19%. They pay 30% corporation tax on their profits and a supplementary 10% rate on top of that. Other firms pay corporation tax at 19%.
But the amount of UK tax paid by oil and gas companies has been relatively low in recent years. But the amount of UK tax oil and gas companies pay has been relatively low in recent years.
The National Audit Office points out that in some years the government paid more to them in tax relief than it received from them in taxes. The National Audit Office points out that in some years the government - and taxpayers - paid more to them in tax relief than they paid in taxes.
This is because they spent enough money on things like decommissioning North Sea oil platforms to cancel out any profits they were making in the UK.This is because they spent enough money on things like decommissioning North Sea oil platforms to cancel out any profits they were making in the UK.
BP's reports for 2015 to 2020 all show overall refunds, which means it received more money back from the UK government than it paid.BP's reports for 2015 to 2020 all show overall refunds, which means it received more money back from the UK government than it paid.
Shell has similar reports. It made overall payments to the UK government in 2017 but was negative for the rest of the period, as well as in 2021. Shell says it made overall payments to the UK government in 2017 but was negative for the rest of the period, as well as in 2021.