The Climate Change Levy (CCL) is an environmental tax that encourages businesses to reduce their energy consumption. This article provides guidance for eligible businesses who are looking to apply for exemption from the CCL through energy tax relief.
What does CCL mean?
CCL stands for Climate Change Levy, an environmental tax charged on energy used by businesses in the UK. According to the Environment Agency, the tax covers “electricity, gas, petroleum gas, coal, lignite, coke, semi-coke and petroleum coke (but not mineral oils) used as fuels by non-domestic energy users.”
Exemptions are available for businesses in the manufacturing and transport sectors, as well as large domestic users. Companies that fall into these categories can partially or fully exempt their energy supplies from CCL charges.
Why was the Climate Change Levy introduced?
The Climate Change Levy on energy was created in the UK in April 2001, following the UK Government’s Finance Act 2000. The levy was seen as a way of helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. It encourages businesses to reduce energy consumption so that they can operate in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way. The tax was originally used to fund green initiatives, but since 2010 no longer directly funds initiatives to mitigate climate change.
What exemptions are there for the Climate Change Levy (CCL)?
The UK Government lists several exemptions from the costs of the Climate Change Levy (CCL). The key exemptions include:
- For supplies used in some forms of transport
- For use in metallurgical and mineralogical processes
- For business with a Climate Change Agreement
- For Domestic and charitable non-business use
Generally, these exemptions apply to a wide range of manufacturing and transport industries (see below for more information).
What metallurgical and mineralogical processes are exempt from the Climate Change Levy (CCL)?
Examples of processes that qualify for mineralogical exemption include the manufacturing of:
- Flat glass
- Hollow glass
- Glass fibres
- Other glass, including technical glassware
- Refractory products
- Ceramic tiles and flags
- Bricks, tiles and construction products, in baked clay
- Ceramic household and ornamental articles
- Ceramic sanitary fixtures
- Ceramic insulators and insulating fittings
- Other technical ceramic products
- Other ceramic products
- Cement
- Lime and plaster
- Concrete products for construction purposes
- Plaster products for construction purposes
- Ready-mixed concrete
- Mortars
- Fibre cement
- Other articles of concrete, plaster and cement
- Cutting, shaping and finishing of stone
- Abrasive products
- Other non-metallic mineral products
Examples of processes that qualify for metallurgical exemption include:
- Manufacture of basic iron and steel and of ferro-alloys
- Manufacture of tubes, pipes, hollow profiles and related fittings, of steel
- Manufacture of other products of first processing of steel
- Precious metals production
- Aluminium production
- Lead, zinc, tin and copper production
- Other non-ferrous metal production
- Casting of iron and steel
- Casting of light metals
- Casting of other non-ferrous metals
- Forging, pressing, stamping and roll-forming of metal
- Powder metallurgy
- Treatment and coating of metals
What exemptions from the Climate Change Levy (CCL) are there for supplies used in transport?
Supplies used in some forms of transport are exempt from the main rate of CCL, if they are used to:
- Electrify train lines
- Power a ferry or non-railway vehicle transporting passengers
- Light a railway carriage transporting passengers
- Light the cab interior of a freight train transporting goods
- Light a marine freight vessel (e.g., a ship on a journey outside UK waters)
What are Climate Change Agreements (CCAs)?
Climate change agreements (CCAs) are voluntary agreements between eligible UK businesses in energy-intensive industries and the Environment Agency.
Businesses with CCAs receive financial relief on the Climate Change Levy, as long as they achieve energy and carbon efficiency targets.
How long will the UK Government run Climate Change Agreements (CCAs)?
The UK Government has recently confirmed a new six-year phase of the scheme. Businesses must work towards energy-saving improvement targets from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030. If businesses meet these goals, they get to pay reduced rates on their energy bills, which will remain in place until March 2033 (although the reduced rates are subject to change).
What exclusions are there for the Climate Change Levy (CCL)?
The UK Government also lists several excluded supplies from the costs of the Climate Change Levy (CCL). The exclusions include:
- Domestic users
- Small (de minimis) limits for businesses
- Supplies to charities
- Business premises used partly for domestic or non-business charity
- Intermediaries (e.g., supplies to a tenant via a landlord)
- Community heating schemes
- Visiting forces
What are the Climate Change Levy rates?
From 1 April 2026, the Climate Change Levy is 0.801p per kWh for both gas and electricity. From 1 April 2027, the rate for both will rise to 0.827p per kWh.
What reductions on the main rates of CCL do businesses receive?
Sectors with an umbrella agreement could receive an exemption from these taxes by signing a Climate Change Agreement (CCA), getting a percentage of their costs in tax relief.
Businesses with a CCA can receive:
- 89% reduction for gas
- 92% reduction for electricity
- 77% reduction for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
- 89% reduction for coal and other solid fossil fuels
How can my business apply for Energy Tax Relief?
Our Energy Team has a wealth of experience in successfully helping eligible businesses receive the energy tax reliefs that they’re entitled to.
We offer an end-to-end consultation service: we’ll put together your entire claim, handle all the administration and submit your completed application to the government.
Get in touch, and we’ll give you an estimate of your energy tax savings.