Impact assessment guidance
Guidance
- Publication date
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As Great Britain’s energy regulator, we make policy and strategic decisions in different areas that affect security of supply, the cost of energy, and the transition to net zero.
Many of these decisions have significant impact on specific groups of consumers, industry participants, and the environment.
About this guidance
This guidance sets out our general approach to how we assess and present the impact of our proposed decisions within an impact assessment (IA). It also provides detailed guidance on assessment techniques that are particularly important in our context.
Our IAs are usually published alongside our consultations or decisions, rather than separately.
You will learn about:
- how we use impact assessments to support decisions with evidence and analysis
- our criteria for deciding when an impact assessment is needed
- the approach that must be taken on specific impacts like environmental issues
- issues analysts encounter when developing impact assessments
It closely follows His Majesty’s Treasury’s recommended approach to policy making in the Green Book.
Who this guidance is for
This guidance is for anyone who needs to understand how impact assessments are used. This includes analysts who are completing them and want to make sure they meet the Green Book and Better Regulation Framework standards and use the appropriate assessment techniques.
Updates to the guidance (10 December 2024)
This version of the guidance supersedes the previous guidance published in May 2020.
We have made several changes to make sure our policy and analytical processes align with our strategic priorities and statutory duties. This includes:
- information about our new growth duty, net zero duty and statutory powers in relation to the regulation of carbon dioxide transport and storage
- changes to how we measure impacts on different groups of consumers
- changes to the way we document the impacts of our proposals on net zero pathways
- links to new external guidance relevant to our impact assessments