Twice as many people in Scotland (41%) support the Windfall Tax than oppose it (19%), with support cutting across all political parties and across all parts of the country, according to new polling. [1]
The Windfall Tax (Energy Profits Levy) was levied on oil and gas companies operating in the UK in May 2022 in response to record oil and gas industry profits and the rapid increase in energy costs following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In recent days, wholesale energy costs have surged 30% year on year as a result of conflict in the Middle East and sit at levels last seen in winter 2022/23. [2]
Energy firms have seen their share prices rise over 7% in the last month (compared to the FTSE 100 rise of 0.43%). This includes North Sea operators who have lobbied heavily to scrap the windfall tax. [3]
A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said:
“Despite the intense lobbying by the oil and gas industry – and their political allies – the Windfall Tax retains the support of the public.
“It’s no surprise that twice as many Scots are in favour of the tax than oppose it and nearly a fifth say that they strongly support the measure.
“As long as people see the disparity between their own living conditions and the huge profits made by energy firms, this support will continue.”
The survey, carried out by Survation, spoke to over two thousand adults in Scotland in a poll that reflects the political make-up of the nation’s voters.
It revealed that Scottish voters from all parties supported the windfall tax.
Support for the windfall tax is highest among people intending to use their Holyrood list vote for the SNP (48%), Labour (53%), Liberal Democrat (61%) and Green (47%). Conservative and Reform UK voters were more likely to support the tax than oppose it (Conservatives 37% support, 34% oppose; Reform UK 32% support, 30% oppose). Similar results were found among constituency voting intention.
Frazer Scott, Chief Executive of Energy Action Scotland, commented:
“Energy companies continue to make excessive profits at the expense of people. People who cannot heat their homes to a safe level and are burdened by £5.5bn of unrepayable domestic energy debt. Until there is reform that puts people at the heart of the energy system it is right for big business to put its fair share back to help those that need it most.”
Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said:
“People aren’t daft; they know that the companies that have polluted our politics and plundered our planet shouldn’t be let off the hook for the spiralling climate destruction they continue to cause.
“Energy giants have racked up years of eye-watering profits. Politicians must ensure they pick up more, not less of the tab for the shift to a clean energy future instead of leaving hard pressed Scots and communities globally facing famine and floods to foot the bill. Fossil fuel companies helped light the fire, continue to fuel it, so it’s only fair they help pay to put it out.”
Friends of the Earth Scotland oil and gas campaigns manager Rosie Hampton commented:
“With the conflict in the Middle East, energy companies could again be making the windfall profits that have caused the cost-of-living pain and suffering in the last five years. People will be rightly worried about household energy bills soaring again as greedy oil giants capitalise on the violence.
“We must not forget that this tax will go to supporting the NHS, educating children and protecting our environment so any politician calling for the tax to end are demanding less support for vital public services.”
Previous End Fuel Poverty Coalition research found that just a handful of energy firms have made around £40 billion in UK profits in the last two years, even with the Energy Profits Levy in place.
The Government has committed to phasing out the tax by 2030 to be replaced by a new tax regime for the sector.
ENDS
[1] Survation asked over 2,000 Scots:
An Energy Profits Levy (EPL) or ‘Windfall Tax’ was levied on oil and gas companies operating in the UK in May 2022 in response to record oil and gas industry profits and the rapid increase in energy costs following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is due to be in place until 2030. Do you support or oppose, or neither support nor oppose, the current windfall tax on oil and gas company profits?
- Fieldwork Dates Fieldwork: 10th February – 17th February 2026
- Full details are available from the Survation website.
- FULL RESULTS
- Strongly support the Windfall Tax 19%
- Tend to support 22%
- Neither support nor oppose 27%
- Tend to oppose 11%
- Strongly oppose 8%
- Don’t know 13%
- NET: Support (Strongly+Tend to) 41%
- NET: Oppose (Strongly+Tend to) 19%
- Weighted total: 2005 respondents
- Method – The survey was conducted via Online Panel. Different response rates from different demographic groups were taken into account.
- Population Sampled: Adults aged 16+ in Scotland. Sample Size 2,005.
- Data Weighting: Data are weighted to the profile of Scotland. Data was weighted by respondent’s sex, age, region, and past vote (2014 referendum, 2016 referendum, 2021 Scottish parliamentary election, 2024 general election). Targets for the weighted data are derived from the ONS.
- Margin of Error Because only a sample of the full population was interviewed, all results are subject to margin of error, meaning that not all differences are statistically significant. For example, in a question where 50% of respondents (the worst case scenario as far as margin of error is concerned) gave a particular answer, with a sample of 2005 it is 95% certain that the ‘true’ value will fall within the range of 2.33% from the sample result. Subsamples from cross-breaks will be subject to higher margin of error. Conclusions drawn from crossbreaks with very small sub-samples should be treated with caution.
- Polling available to download as an .xls here.
[2] Trading Economics Data as at 6 March 0900. https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/uk-natural-gas
[3] Profits data from https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/news/energy-firm-profits-tracker/.
Share price data from Bloomberg 6 March 0900, data as at close of business on 4 March. 10 energy firms listed on London Stock Exchange are monitored through a watchlist and prices compared to 8 February. These firms represent a mix of producers, suppliers, traders and supply chain in both fossil fuel and renewable sectors. Within this, specific surge examples include Ithaca Energy (+15%), Harbour Energy (+13%) and BP (+4%) all rising strongly in the immediate aftermath of the American / Israeli attacks on Iran. Harbour rose from 242.4 on 25 Feb to 274.8 on 3 March. Ithaca 213.5 to 245.5. BP 470.25 to 488.20.