Public Affairs Support, Request for proposals

About us

Liquid Gas UK is the trade association for the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and renewable liquid gas (RLG) industry in the UK, representing companies who are LPG and RLG producers, distributors, equipment and service providers, and installers. Member companies cover over 99% of the total LPG and 100% of the RLGs distributed in the UK.

The association takes a leading role in liaising and consulting with Government, legislators and Policy Makers with regards to sustainable energy policy, decarbonisation of heat and energy efficiency. Liquid Gas UK is dedicated to the safe and progressive development of LPG and RLG with a focus on its role in providing low carbon heating and energy for homes and businesses that are located off the gas grid.

The association is made up of a small team of 7; you would be working closely with the Chief Executive and the Public Affairs Manager.

Background

In recent years, the association has re-positioned itself significantly. Firstly, the association rebranded from UKLPG to Liquid Gas UK and launched it’s 2040 Vision, demonstrating how LPG and RLGs are a key part of the future energy mix.

Since then we have established a clear evidence base, covering production and feedstocks for renewable liquid gases, the importance of a mixed technology approach to heating, and decarbonising rural domestic and non-domestic heat, as well as process heat.

We have run number of successful campaigns on areas including rural heat decarbonisation and on EPCs, engaging with Ministers, parliamentarians, civil servants and other key stakeholders from the heating, housing and rural sectors.

In 2023, UK Government released the long-awaited ‘Biomass Strategy’, which recognised the potential role for RLGs in the future of heat decarbonisation. Then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also announced in 2023 a push-back on the ‘boiler ban’, from 2026 to 2035, signalling to industry and consumers the need for alternative renewable energy sources such as RLGs to decarbonise off-grid homes and business.

Since then, we have seen a snap election and a new Government, with the number of rural Conservative MPs drastically reduced. As we go into 2025, we see the need for our political strategy to reflect this new change in make-up of our core targets – particularly around Labour and the Liberal Democrats. The future of the LPG and RLG industry is going to be decided in the next 24 months, so now is a critical time to be working with Liquid Gas UK.

What we are looking for:

Key areas of focus

• Domestic & Non-Domestic Energy Policy: LPG & RLGs role across domestic, commercial and industrial heat/power applications. ‘One size fits all approach’ by policy makers focusing on electrification of heat is unaffordable and impractical. Need to have a just transition for rural areas.
• Renewables: Demonstrate delivery of the 2040 Vision, LGUK’s Response to the Biomass Strategy, and other evidence-based reports to highlight the viability of a sustainable RLG supply chain, along with asks of necessary mechanisms for industry. i.e. incentives.
• EPCs & Building Regulations: Fixing the flawed EPC so it does not penalise off-grid homes, closely monitor and feed into building regulations and/or energy efficiency policy that relies on EPCs.
• Taxation: ensuring a fair taxation scheme moving forward for LPG and RLG. Mechanisms monitoring include; CCL, VAT, UK ETS.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute impactful public affairs campaigns in collaboration with the Public Affairs Manager, to achieve Liquid Gas UK’s goals
• Through your organisations connections, facilitate engagement for Liquid Gas UK with parliamentarians and policy makers facilitated in Westminster, Holyrood, Stormont and Cardiff Bay – emphasis on building a larger cross-party coalition of rural MPs we can draw on
• Responsible for requesting and organising meetings, distributing letters and other parliamentary activity administration
• Support with preparing consultation responses and briefing notes
• Work in partnership with Liquid Gas UK partners on specific campaigns where appropriate
• Report quarterly to the Liquid Gas UK board against outcomes

Outcomes

• Profile of LPG, RLG and Liquid Gas UK raised among parliamentarians
• Build a coalition of active and engaged rural parliamentarians across Great Britain
• Audience with key policy makers, i.e. Ministers Ed Miliband or Miata Fahnbulleh
• Clarity on the future role for RLGs highlighted across Westminster, Stormont, Holyrood & Cardiff Bay

Process and next steps

Liquid Gas UK welcomes applicants to submit a detailed proposal that illustrates how they would propose to assist Liquid Gas UK in achieving the goals written above and supporting our key areas of focus, with examples of success with previous clients. This is for a 12 month contract period, starting 1st January 2025.

Please send over your detailed proposal by COP on the 11th October 2024.

For more information and to discuss further, please contact Francesca Kirtley-Paine, Public Affairs Manager on francesca.kirtley-paine@liquidgasuk.org.