Cost of living crisis

The cost of food, energy and other everyday essentials has been rising across the world since 2021, causing hardship for many people.

Although combating inflation is the responsibility of government, not companies, we realise that millions of families are struggling to make ends meet. That is why in some countries, where we supply electricity and gas to homes, we are working with government and social partners to help households in distress pay or reduce their energy bills.

In the UK, for instance, we announced a £50 million package to support some of the UK’s most vulnerable energy consumers. This includes a £20 million hardship fund for Shell Energy Retail customers that need help to clear energy debts, and £150 for customers who already receive a government home heating grant during the winter. We also provide Shell shop vouchers for fuel and/or grocery items for those most in need, and are donating millions of pounds to UK charities that are helping those at the sharpest end of the crisis.

In the Netherlands, we are contributing to a government-backed emergency fund for people who cannot pay their energy bills. We are also working with several energy relief organisations to help low-income households and small businesses lower their energy use.

Globally, we are working with governments to ensure there is enough energy to meet demand after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This includes delivering a record 194 cargoes of liquefied natural gas to Europe in 2022 – almost five times our usual average – to help maintain supply, and investing in new natural gas production and lower-carbon energies.